Cover photo by
Marilyn Stringer © 2012
MJStringerPhoto.com
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Past Issues
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In This Issue
We have the latest in Blues Society news
from around the globe. Terry Mullins has our feature interview with Sugar
Ray Norcia. Karyl Carlson has a photo essay of a day at the Prairie Dog
Blues Festival. Jim Kanavy has a photo essay from the
Pennsylvania Blues Fest.
We have six music reviews for you! John Mitchell reviews a new release from
Albert Bashor. Gary Weeks reviews a new release from Juke Joint Jonny. Rex Bartholomew reviews a
new CD from
San Francisco Music Club. Greg
“Bluesdog” Szalony reviews a new CD from Joe Krown. Mark Thompson reviews a new
release from Li'L Ronnie & the Grand Dukes. Rainey Wetnight reviews a new album from
Jimmy Thackery & JP Soars. All this and MORE! SCROLL DOWN!!!
Important Announcement
Blues Blast Music Awards Ceremonies Cancelled
It is with much
disappointment that we have to announce that we have cancelled the Blues
Blast Music Award Ceremonies scheduled for October 25th at Buddy Guy's
Legends in Chicago.
After months of work the
negotiations with Legend's have broken down. We were not able to get a
fair workable agreement with the new management at Legends so we are reluctantly
cancelling the festivities.
However voting in the
2012 Blues
Blast Music Awards continues until August 31st so don't forget to vote.
To vote now
CLICK HERE
The voting results will
now be announced in early September.
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Featured Blues Interview -
Sugar Ray Norcia
 Ah,
life on the blues highway in 2012 must be a life fit for kings, right?
A life filled with first-class flights, limo rides and leisurely stays
at some of the best hotels in the world, right?
Well, according to Sugar Ray Norcia, a veteran of traveling that blues
highway for well over three decades, perception – especially in this
case – is not always reality.
“We (recently) left for a show in Oklahoma City from Rhode Island and
drove straight for 30 hours. Then we played the gig – didn’t have a
chance to go to the hotel room afterwards – got right back in the van
and drove 11 hours back east to Henderson, Kentucky,” Norcia said. “And
we just made it there in time to go from the van straight to the stage.
Didn’t have time to check into a room or take a shower or anything like
that. That was like three days of non-stop activity, 24 hours a day. And
I’m almost 60 years old. But we keep doing it. You have to have a strong
constitution. You have to do whatever it takes to make the show go on.
That kind of stuff happens all the time.”
But, that doesn’t mean that the monotony of van-stage-van-stage-van is
not broken up occasionally, as Norcia and his Bluetones (Monster Mike
Welch, guitar; Neil Gouvin, drums; Michael Mudcat Ward, bass; Anthony
Geraci, piano) were about to enjoy after their appearance at the
Mississippi Valley Blues Festival.
“Well, there are perks. Tomorrow we’re flying to Del Ray Beach in
Florida and we’re going to be there for two days and thanks to the way
our schedule works out, we’ve got Saturday night off,” he said. “So
we’re going to be at the 5-star Marriott, on the beach, in Del Ray, just
kind of wading in the sea and having margaritas.”
Norcia and the Bluetones have been racking up countless road miles in
support of their latest album, 2011’s Evening (Severn).
 Evening
managed to kick up quite a stir and resulted in two Blues Blast Music
Award nominations and five Blues Music Award nominations.
Especially gratifying for Norcia was his BMA nomination as best harpist.
“It's been more special for me than usual, because I took a hiatus from
playing the harp for a long time. When I was in Roomful of Blues for
those eight years, I played maybe two songs a set on harmonica, so
people really didn't associate the harp with me,” he said. “Although,
I've been doing it for almost 40 years.”
Those who weren’t familiar with Norcia’s prowess on the harp are quickly
being brought up to speed.
“Now, I've decided to concentrate on the Bluetones and a four- or
five-piece unit, playing Chicago blues style, so I get to wail on the
harp,” he said. “And people are taking notice. But like I said, some
people didn't even realize that I play the harp.”
And wailing on the harmonica is just what Norcia has been doing this
summer at a number of festivals scattered throughout the States.
“Oh, man. It feels great to get up on stage and blow the harp,” he said.
“Just fantastic. I love being an instrumentalist, as well as being a
vocalist. And I actually sing through my harmonica, so it's like an
extension of my voice. I'm really good friends with Rod Piazza and Kim
Wilson and all those guys and I know they're really happy because people
are taking notice these days.”
Just like so many classic harpists before him, Norcia's weapon of choice
has remained steadfast throughout the years.
“I play the (Hohner) Marine Band – Model 1896, right out of the box,” he
said. “Sometimes, someone will bring me a harp that's all tweaked up and
I enjoy using them for awhile, but I'm old-school in my style of music
and my style of playing. And I know that all the legends used Marine
Bands and just listen to the songs they made. I'm not a real-fancy or
technical player, I just play from the heart.”
 Norcia
is not the only harpist who ever preferred not to get too bogged down on
the technical side of things.
“We used to bring Big Walter (Horton) on tours and he’d never even turn
around and look at what kind of damn amp we were supplying him with,”
Norcia said. “He’d give us the end of his cord with a ¼-inch plug on it
and say, ‘Plug that in where it’s supposed to go.’”
As far as the amp that Norcia prefers to plug his own harp into these
days – it’s still the Super Sonny Jr. 410.
“He’s (Gary Sonny Jr.) put so many hours and so much time out of his
life to developing an amp that is really harp friendly,” said Norcia.
“And I really appreciate what he’s done, because I’m really happy with
that amp. Night-in and night-out it really does the job for me. But it’s
not just me saying that. Guys like (Charlie) Musselwhite and (Mark)
Hummel, they love the amp, too.”
The Bluetones first saw the light of day back in the late 1970s and
included Norcia, Ward, Geraci and Gouvin, along with Ronnie Earl on
guitar.
The group went from playing clubs on the east coast to eventually making
its way overseas.
“Back in the late 70s, we were really one of the first blues bands to
travel over to Europe and Spain … that was a long time ago. That was a
taste for me to get away from New England and to be appreciated,” he
said. “I had to go to a different continent to be appreciated, but hey …
but we did take the Bluetones across the United States, to the West
Coast and California, but I really didn’t start traveling a lot until I
joined Roomful. But this year, we’re doing a lot of traveling with the
Bluetones, more so than we ever have here in our country.”
Norcia certainly loves playing to his State-side blues fans, and if he
had his way would probably rather play 250 dates a year over here
instead of traveling overseas to make a living. But with the recent woes
that a number of European countries are having to fight their way
through, that desire to play over here is almost turning into a
necessity.
 “Our
bread-and-butter has been over in Europe, but with the Euro-zone and the
economic troubles going on in places like Greece, Spain and Italy … all
those places I make my nut at, I’m noticing that it’s affecting my
career,” he said. “So I figure if I’m going to be broke, I might as well
stay in my own country. But really, it’s been great playing all across
the U.S. to a bunch of appreciative blues fans. It may not be really
lucrative, but it’s what we do.”
The Bluetones managed to pull off a trick that a lot of other bands –
blues, rock and even country – couldn’t do.
They survived the dreaded disco era.
“Perseverance. We just stuck with it. So many people come up to me and
say, ‘I’m so glad you stuck with it.’ But you know, what else am I going
to do? But that’s (disco music) one reason we didn’t really travel a lot
back then,” said Norcia. “You know, we were kind of against a rock and a
hard place to make a living. But, I did make a lot of records with a lot
of people during that time frame, so even though it was tough, that’s
really one of the most exciting periods of my career.”
As one of the very few working blues units back in the late 70s, Norcia
and the Bluetones found plenty of opportunities to back up legends like
Big Walter Horton, Roosevelt Sykes, Hubert Sumlin and J.B. Hutto.
It was a time that Norcia remembers fondly.
“The first thing that I noticed was that myth about bluesmen being
bad-ass, mean, cantankerous sons-of-bitches couldn’t be further from the
truth,” he said. “They were really wonderful, wonderful caring people.
That’s one thing I acknowledged as I was moving through the ranks. At
the end of the night – this was before we had made any recordings and
was still with Ronnie Earl – Roosevelt Sykes would sit down with us and
have a beer and say stuff like, “You guys sound really good. What you
gotta do is document that shit. Make yourself a record.’ And that really
got the wheels turning. It gave us a lot of confidence. And Big Walter
encouraged us, as well.”
In particular, the way that Big Walter went about his business had a
lasting impact on the way that Norcia carried out his own duties.
 “Just
being with Big Walter every night and seeing how he got that big tone
out of his amp was a real joy for me,” he said. “I was watching a true
master at work. I could sense that it was the end of an era, even back
then. I was young, but I could tell there was something special going
on. I wanted to soak it all up while I could.”
In 1999, Norcia joined forces with some other All-World harmonica
players for a super summit, one fittingly called Superharps! (Telarc
Records).
The album found itself nominated for a Grammy in the Best Traditional
Blues category.
“We recorded it in a little studio in Maine, of all places. I remember
getting the phone call from the producer asking me if I wanted to make a
record with James Cotton, Billy Branch and Charlie Musselwhite,” said
Norcia. “And as soon as I hung up the phone, I started writing for it.
That’s how I do things. I get inspired and juiced up. And those guys
were almost jealous in a way, because I had wrote my own tunes for the
session. But the only way to make money in this business – well, one of
the ways – is to write your own material. Not so much in the blues,
because we don’t sell many records anyway, but still, it helps.”
That thought of keeping a pencil and paper nearby at all times has been
around for ages.
“I was talking to Billy Boy Arnold recently and he said even back in the
50s, when guys like Little Walter and Sonny Boy were performing, what
made a performance special was for the performer to have his own
material, to come up with something different that the guy that came
before you,” Norcia said. “And I always keep that in mind. You want to
make your own mark on this world.”
Norcia chose to make his mark on the world through music, a process he
started almost from birth, as he was surrounded by a father, mother,
brothers and uncles that were all involved in music in some way shape or
form.
“When I was a little kid, I grew up to bands rehearsing in the basement
– not necessarily blues, but all kinds of music. I grew in the area of
Rhode Island where Roomful of Blues grew up and they all had my father
as a music teacher in the early days, which was real cool,” he said. “So
I befriended guys like Al Copley and Duke Robillard (co-founders of
Roomful of Blues). And those guys had extensive record collections, most
on 78s. We hung out at night and exchanged records and I knew that’s
what I loved and what I wanted to do. Music has always been in my bones,
been in my blood.”
 In
what was probably one part surrealism, one part dream come true, Norcia
would later go on to become front-man for Roomful of Blues, the very
band that he grew up watching, with the very members that his father had
taught in music class.
And the way Norcia remembers it, that plum gig was always in the back of
his mind.
“I grew up from 15-years-old on, listening to them every week. Not only
did I listen to them, but they backed up artists that would come through
my hometown. Artists like Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson and Ruth Brown … I
could go on and on,” he said. “And I witnessed that. But what I never
really saw was a great, powerful vocalist. As a kid in the audience, I
always thought, I could do that. I could do that well. So when they
asked me to join, I didn’t hesitate. It was perfect timing for me,
anyway.”
Norcia was with Roomful from 1991 until 1997.
“It was some of the best years of my life. Playing Europe … everywhere.
Pretty much headlining almost every festival we played,” he said. “What
a wonderful experience. We packed houses every night. We had quite a run
there for awhile.”
But just like he always knew he would one day join Roomful of Blues,
Norcia also knew that was a job that he would not keep forever.
“It was just obvious. There came a time when I knew that I needed to
play harp again and that wasn’t the place to do it. I had respect for
that band and wasn’t going to push my harmonica on them. Basically, it
was just time for me to do my own thing again. This business is all
about timing.”
After his departure from Roomful, it was back to the Bluetones and back
to full-speed ahead.
Even though it’s always been music or bust for Sugar Ray Norcia, he does
occasionally find other ways to occupy his time for brief periods.
“Well, I dabble a bit in making rustic furniture. I take sticks out of
the woods and make them into a beautiful bureau or chair … as I’m
listening to Howlin’ Wolf in the background,” he laughed. “It all goes
together. The Wolf and me, making sawdust.”
Visit Sugar Ray's website at
www.sugarrayandthebluetones.com
Photos by Marilyn Stringer © 2012
MJStringerPhoto.com
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 Staples 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, Miss., 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
 Albert
Bashor – Cotton Field Of Dreams
14
tracks; 57.52 minutes
Albert
Bashor (pronounced Bayshore) will be a new name for most of us but he is
far from a novice on the music scene, the Florida native having played
in bands, solo and duo for many years. This, however, is his first
record under his own name and owes a lot to an old connection to Earwig
label boss Michael Frank who was interested in signing Albert way back
in 1993, only for Albert’s then duo act to break up. Albert has been
writing songs for years and one on this record was previously recorded
by Lonnie Brooks in 1996 after Albert handed Bruce Iglauer a copy of the
song when Bruce was recording Kenny Neal at a Florida studio.
In 2010
Albert met up again with Michael Frank and the idea for this CD was
born. The material is all Albert’s. Albert plays acoustic guitar
throughout and electric guitar on one track, electric guitar duties
being covered by a variety of players, including Pat Travers on one
track. Ron Holloway adds his saxophone to five tracks (all recorded
separately in Virginia) and through a Facebook connection Albert met up
with Little Feat’s Bill Payne who ended up playing keyboards on most of
the album. Drums are by Chicago veteran Willie ‘The Touch’ Hayes though
there are several tracks without drums. Recordings were made both in
Florida and in Illinois and the album was produced by Michael Franks and
Lynn Orman Weiss.
The CD
opens in electric style with Albert’s vision of Clarksdale “Jukin’ Down
On Johnson Street”, a song influenced by Albert’s visit to Clarksdale
and the crossroads where Honeyboy Edwards met Robert Johnson in 1937.
The song recorded by Lonnie Brooks follows – “Rockin’ Red Rooster” – and
it’s a really strong song led by powerful slide guitar, an effective
vocal by Albert and some additional piano and sax from Bill Payne and
Ron Holloway. Whilst the story behind “Poodle Ribs” is interesting I did
not really want Albert to recount the tale as a track on the album but I
imagine that most of us will fast forward at that point! The tale of a
BBQ place that was accused of using dogs for their BBQ ribs is
interesting, as is the term ‘hot as Tucker’ which is also explained in
Albert’s monologue. The song itself is a funky piece enlivened by
Holloway’s screaming sax. I also liked “So Blue” which has Willie Hayes
using brushes on a jazz inflected piece and some lovely acoustic guitar.
Shay Jones shares vocals with Albert and the whole song is really well
done.
The rest of
the album dispenses with drums but not with rhythm! In some of the songs
the acoustic guitar acts as the rhythm, as in “Tater Diggin’ Woman”, an
amusing song in which it quickly becomes apparent that Albert is not
talking about vegetable gardening here! The album has considerable
variation in style and pace: “One Last Time” is a simple ballad, played
beautifully on acoustic guitars and embellished by Shay Jones’ harmony
vocal; “Put Me On Like You Do” is far more of a classic blues with harp
and slide guitar presenting the sad tale; “Fetch Me” may not have drums
but with Bill Payne’s organ and Pat Travers electric guitar chugging
along with Albert’s acoustic guitar they are hardly missed.
The title
song “Cotton Field Of Dreams” is the centerpiece of the album. Albert
plays electric guitar here and provides a brooding sound behind his
vocal which describes how some of the early bluesmen might have tackled
that initial journey from the fields to urban Chicago. It’s an
impressive song, further enhanced by some more of Ron Holloway’s superb
sax playing. Ron also plays on the final song, a touching ballad
entitled “Lucky Man”. The remaining tracks are mostly in the stripped
down format, like “No Place Like Home”, just Albert’s guitar and Bill
Payne’s organ setting the background to Albert’s tale of travelling
around but always wanting to get back home and “Seeing Eye Dog Blues” on
which Michael Frank adds harp.
This is an
interesting album which covers quite a lot of ground from acoustic to
electric blues with stopping points in folk, jazz and pop. Albert Bashor
has a lot of talent and demonstrates his range here. I would be very
interested to see him in live performance but meanwhile this CD is
definitely worth investigating.
Reviewer John Mitchell is a blues enthusiast based in the UK. He also
travels to the States most years to see live blues music and enjoyed the
Tampa Bay Blues Festival in April.
For other reviews and interviews on our website
CLICK HERE
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Live Blues Review 1 of 2 -
2012 Prairie Dog Blues Festival
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Prairie
Dog Blues Festival, held on July 25 & 26, and in its 15th year,
celebrated the blues with great weather, fantastic bands and
enthusiastic festival-goers. This festival is a two day event however I
was only able to attend and report on the first day.
The large crowds enjoyed the wide
variety
of bands on two stages, on St. Feriole Island close to Prairie du Chien,
WI. The line-up was fantastic and lots of straight-up blues and some
pushing the boundaries kept everyone dancing and having a great time.
The Prairie Dog Beer Girls helped the cause!
 
Gerome
Durham & The All Star Band
 
These guys
set the tone with the tried and true blues. Gerome likes to say he’s all
about “the blues”, the “whole blues” and “nothin’ but the blues”.
They’ve been playing the blues for over 25 years together so he and his
talented band were true to form.
Trampled
Under Foot
This award
winning-band laid it all out there. With an awesome shout voice,
Danielle connected with the crowd and entertained with the right doses
of energy and grit – people want to dance no matter what the tempo.
Danielle showed her dynamic range by slowing things down only to wind
the crowd right back up. Kris and Nick give this popular band great
dimension and versatility.
Indigenous
Lead-singer, songwriter and guitarist Mato Naji, fronts the
Native-American blues rock band, Indigenous. Mato showed off his lyrical
and soulful voice with tasty vocal harmonies behind him. They played
blues with heartfelt lyrics and then rocked it with some hard-driving
beats and blazing guitar solos.
Rick Estrin
And The Nightcats
 
Headlining
the evening, Rick Estrin delivered his traditional great show with his
fancy harp playing and unique, story-telling vocals. He and his band are
consummate showman and left the crowd wanting more even after a few
encores.
Matthew
Curry & The Fury
 
Matthew
Curry & The Fury played in the beer tent to the biggest crowds the
festival has had in there for years, so Prairie Dog fans got to hear
them all night long! Matthew put on a great show with his phenomenal
guitar and fantastic voice. Matthew Curry & The Fury treated everyone to
a fistful of new songs, along with a brand new ballad. These guys just
keep getting tighter and better every time they play.
The Prairie
Dog Blues Festival is a good one. Be sure to put it on your summer
calendar next year!
Photos and
comments by Karyl Carlson © 2012
Reviewer Karyl Carlson is a professor of choral music
at Illinois State University and is an eclectic music lover.
For other reviews and interviews on our website
CLICK HERE
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Featured Blues Review 2 of 6
 Juke
Joint Jonny – Pure And Simple
12
tracks: 46:37
Make no
mistake about it. The little blurb “File Under Blues” on the back of the
CD cover of Juke Joint Jonny’s release Pure And Simple indicates that’s
exactly where this work should be filed under. No signs of blues rock
here and for the purists at heart; this is a peaceful sanctuary where
they can hide.
Dedicated
to the memory of his father John P. Rizzo, Jonny turns in a collection
of mostly original songs whose heritage lies deeply in authentic blues,
blending juke joint dust, barroom ethos and shotgun shack boogie.
Vocally
Jonny’s a mix of John Hiatt and John Hammond. It’s those kinds of vocals
that are the perfect marriage to his twelve and six string guitar
playing that echoes of Robert Johnson and Leadbelly.
He relies
on the simple backing of drummer Mike Stevens and Stand-Up Bassist Ben
Bernstein. Other friends show up to fill out the sound and the results
showcase a music coming out of the backwoods. It’s as if you dug up a
time capsule out of the 19th century.
A gin and
whiskey haze hangs over opening track “Come On Up” and Jonny’s singing
is giddy enough to make you refill your shot glass over and over again.
That fun spirit is kept up going into second cut “Joline” which features
Mitch Woods on piano filtering the spirit of Dr. John. The New Orleans
vibe is so strong that this song alone would go down like gangbusters at
Jazz Fest.
The Jus
Harp of Mike Stevens is just right for “Going To Mississippi” and along
with Jonny’s guitar playing, we are taken for that top-down cruise on
Highway 61 that runs smack into the Delta.
Eventually
the ride stops at the nearest juke joint and Steve Lucky’s piano playing
on Moma Lion is the antidote to jump-starting “Moma Lion” into a
Radiator/Little Feat house-rockin boogie with hot tenor saxophone
playing by Ken “Snakebite” Jacobs. It’s these subtle little twists that
make the music endearing. With having a strong musical endorsement from
various guests keeps the music afloat and staying strongly on course as
it gobbles blues nuggets along the way.
Harpist
Sandy Mack and guitarist Albert Castiglia stop in and lend a hand to
“That’s Allright” boosting Jonny’s sandpaper vocals above an acoustic
mix of gutbucket rhythm. And who said you can’t sneak in a little John
Lee Hooker? Jonny’s “Dry Well Blues” may sound like a rewrite of “Boogie
Chillun” but the notes and chords are his own and he isn’t out to
pillage old graves.
He also
wants to strike a somber moment. And “Unlucky In Love” is a good enough
song as any to become a temporary alcoholic as a way of getting over a
recent lost love. You want this moment to end soon and it does and
instrumental “Edgewood” with its horn section rambles in a funky way
casting a brighter light.
And you
can’t underestimate Jonny’s guitar playing. His mastery of acoustic
guitar comes to a head in the fast and furious “Alameda Tickle” which
features Jonny’s best Piedmont playing style.
It’s the
John Lee Hooker boogie where he shines and “Juke Joint Boogie” lives up
to its moniker with the rhythm section kicking up a storm and getting
them shoes shuffling. And the shuffling just continues in “Going Down To
Main Street” with Castiglia and Mack turning up once again to make the
street corner come alive as boogie fever continues to rule the roost.
The
introspective “Changes” wraps it up with a neat little bow. Juke Joint
Jonny has every right to sit at the table with other contemporaries John
Hammond, Rory Block, Mary Flower and Paul Geremia. Consider this artist
as another key to unlocking a chest of true American roots music.
Reviewer Gary Weeks is a contributing writer. He resides in
Marietta, GA.
For other reviews and interviews on our website
CLICK HERE
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Featured Blues Review 3 of 6
 San
Francisco Music Club – Love & Freedom
Self Release
sanfranciscomusicclub.com
12 tracks / 65:51
The San Francisco Music Club is not just a clever band name; it really
is like a club, with membership limited to only the most talented
musicians. The club presidents are the veteran Bay Area
guitarists/vocalists Jimmy Dillon and Lorin Rowan, formerly of The Edge
(check their older material out out, if you get a chance). They are
joined by Eric McCann on bass, Matt Willis on drums, horn players
Michael Peloquin, Jeff Lewis, and Mike Rinta, as well as Sakai on
vocals. It is like a super-group made up of people you have never heard
of before.
Love and Freedom is their self-produced debut release, and it is
an ambitious and impressive piece of work that includes eleven original
tracks, with Dillon and/or Rowan having a hand in all of them. The one
cover tune has been reworked so extensively it might as well be an
original too. Over these twelve tracks they managed to incorporate most
every funky genre that is available in western music, including rock,
funk, ska, reggae, Latin, Afro-Cuban and maybe even a touch of the
blues. They did it all with excellent production values while
maintaining a positive vibe, and I think this collection of songs will
be sure to put a smile on your face.
The first track is “Crazy Lovesick Blues” which shows how well Rowan and
Dillon’s vocals work together. It sounds like there are five layers of
guitars over the Afro-Cuban beat, but they are all tastefully done. Up
next is “4 Winds” which would fit in well in a Jimmy Buffet album, with
a laid-back countrified island beat overlaid with horns and a little
acoustic guitar. Well, it might be a little too-well written for a Jimmy
Buffet album.
“Istanbul” takes a difference direction with smooth vocals and heavy
guitars. This one brings in more keyboards, and there are a lot of funky
(in a good way) harmonies on this tune. This song shows that these guys
are not just good musicians, but they know their way around the studio
too. This leads to an ode to Louisiana with “Ponchatrain,” which adds a
harmonica, horns and a Zydeco taste to the poppy Caribbean beat which
the San Francisco Music Club does best. Sakai adds her vocals to this
song and her voice is beautiful, especially when she is harmonizing with
the guys.
Not surprisingly, “Revolutionary Man – Bob Marley Tribute” has a reggae
beat, and after this song I can start to see the Marley influence in the
rest of their music. The title of “Te Quiero” also gives a hint of its
roots, but calling this Latin music just scratches its surface, as its
Latin instrumentation is a foundation for a seriously jazzy tune. This
is some really smooth stuff, my friends.
The San Francisco Music Club chose to include a cover of one of my
all-time favorite songs, “You’ve Lost That Lovin Feelin’” and has
outdone my previous favorite cover version of this song that was done by
The Firm. I got into an argument with a friend of mine as to whether
this is a ska song or a reggae song, but I am writing the review so I am
going to call this one a slow tempo ska tune. Either way, it is a winner
and I love it when bands reinterpret classics like this into new genres.
This CD ends with an acoustic reprise of “Love Can Be,” which I prefer
to the pop/reggae/rock version that appears at number three in the
batting order. This one is just lovely as it starts off with a harp and
Jimmy and Lorin’s voices, later on weaving in some nicely-picked
acoustic guitars and assorted strings. This song has such a positive
message and a sweet sound that it is a perfect way to wrap up this
project, which I thoroughly enjoyed listening to from beginning to end.
There is a little something for everybody on this San Francisco Music
Club release, so if you are looking for an album where every song sounds
the same, this is probably not your best choice. But, if you can
appreciate twelve tracks that showcase fine songwriting and musicianship
and leave you feeling better than you did before you listened to them,
Love and Freedom might be just the ticket.
Reviewer Rex Bartholomew is a Los Angeles-based writer and
musician; his blog can be found at
rexbass.blogspot.com.
For other reviews and interviews on our website
CLICK HERE
|
Live Blues Review -
Portland Waterfront Blues Fest Part II
|
The second
annual Pennsylvania Blues Festival took place on July 28th and 29th,
2012 and unofficially kicked off on Friday the 27th with an onsite jam
led by Mikey, Jr. What was once called the Pocono Blues Festival
celebrated its second year of rebirth at its new home on Blue Mountain.
The expansive grounds have plenty of space for campers, fans, vendors,
and musicians, with two stages of music going almost non-stop. Possibly
the only drawback to festivals like this is non-stop music. You just
can’t hear it all, and you want to. The lineup was full of must-see acts
so you had to be choosy and watch the schedule closely, especially once
the rain started affecting the schedule. This year the festival offered
VIP packages providing VIP ticket holders with catered meals, meet &
greets with the artists, pit passes for front-of-stage access, and
perhaps best of all for this particular weekend: a covered area to watch
the show. Altogether it was a highlight of the summer blues festival
season with some of the finest musicians in the field.
Marquise
Knox started the festival on the main stage. Marquise is a talented
young singer and guitarist whose debut album Man Child won Living Blues
Magazine’s Best Debut award, and he has a pair of Blues Blast Awards
nominations to his credit. His blues are spare and honest, and his
no-frills grit can stir an audience to its soul. His guitar work grabs
your attention and his emotional singing holds onto it until the very
last note. He is the future of the blues and it’s looking pretty good.
Michael Burks, who passed away suddenly on May 6, 2012, was originally
scheduled to play Pennsylvania Blues Festival. Michael Cloeren and crew
gave tribute to Michael Burks by featuring him on the festival passes
and several musicians paid their respects from the stage. Otis Taylor
and his band filled the empty spot on the bill and Otis remarked that
although he was happy to be at the festival, he’d be happier if Michael
was there instead. Otis and his band proceeded to play a powerful set of
soulful blues in honor of their fallen friend and brother in the blues.
 
Big Sam’s Funky Nation got the crowd bouncing with their New Orleans
funk. Led by former Dirty Dozen Brass Band trombonist Big Sam, their
NOLA-delic powerfunk lifted spirits in the face of threatening skies.
The little big band featured two guitars, bass, drums, trumpet and
trombone for a rich, powerful sound that dares you to stay in your seat.
Big Sam led the way with trademark dance moves, grooving the Funky
Nation.
 
After Big Sam’s funky set, the skies opened up and poured rain on the
festival. As everyone took shelter, an impromptu question and answer
session with Alligator Records founder and CEO Bruce Iglauer took place
on the indoor jam stage, which led to a listening party for the
forthcoming Michael Burks CD. Once again, Michael Cloeren and crew
turned adversity into strength, engaging the sequestered attendees by
presenting interesting and enlightening, unscheduled material. It
certainly made the rain delay less intrusive and gave everyone a moment
to catch a breath after a few hot sets of music.
Once the
rain paused, Joe Louis Walker took the stage to unleash some patented
Hellfire. Bruce Iglauer introduced the band mentioning how proud he is
to have Joe on Alligator Records. Joe Louis Walker and band played a
soulful, energetic set so powerful it shook the clouds a little too hard
and the rain came down again as the band was finishing up.
 
For a little while on Saturday evening it looked like headliners Billy
Branch & Lurrie Bell might get rained out. The storms were hovering over
Blue Mountain and not letting up. The decision was made to once again
bring things inside to the stage set up for the late night jam. While
Billy and Lurrie had already played a laid back set together on the tent
stage, Billy Branch, Lurrie Bell and the Sons of the Blues played an
incendiary set of Chicago Blues for a packed room of festival goers not
scared off by a little July thunderstorm. They even dedicated their
version of John Lee Hooker’s “Boom Boom” to the wicked weather.
 
Day two began with torrential rain storms that set back the schedule
once again. The sun was shining by the time Eugene “Hideaway” Bridges
and his band hit the stage. With a great horn section and some stinging
guitar, their music got everybody in the mood for another day of smoking
hot blues. Bridges’ voice and vocal talents are tremendous and he is not
to be missed if you have the opportunity. Later in the day he played a
set with just a bassist and his sax man which was equally stunning,
strumming his guitar and singing songs by his biggest influences and
some intimate originals. Both performances were strikingly different but
equally powerful.
 
Teeny Tucker is a dynamo of a performer and if anyone could sing away
the rain it’s her. She owns any stage upon which she stands, dressed to
the nines and belting out the blues. Her formidable band matches her
intensity note for note, playing the exact right things to accent,
support, and accompany their potent leader. Guitarist Robert Hughes is a
fluid soloist, precise but loose and not afraid to tear it up. Everyone
in the band eventually gets a spotlight and none failed to impress the
festival crowd.
 
Earl Thomas is a highly energetic singer and performer who has toured
Europe many times but has not played on the East coast of the United
States. Pennsylvania Blues Festival was his first ever gig in the East
and he had to take the red-eye from California to make it. His smooth,
booming voice, natty attire and whirling dance moves captivated the
audience and led to dozens of people lining up at the merch tent to buy
CDs and meet the impassioned entertainer.
 
What can be said about the Brooks Family Blues Dynasty? Patriarch Lonnie
Brooks doesn’t tour very often anymore so when he comes to town with his
two sons in tow and an ace rhythm section holding up the bottom, you
better get out to see it. In the afternoon the trio of Ronnie Baker
Brooks, Wayne Baker Brooks and Lonnie Brooks play a set on the tent
stage, sitting and picking, singing songs on the fly like they would at
home. There was no set list, just a spontaneous jam between father and
sons. Lonnie got the whole crowd involved with a sing along of
“Something You Got” offering the mic to anyone daring enough to sing the
“I love you so” chorus.
Their set
on the main stage was introduced by Bruce Iglauer, creator of Alligator
Records, who reminisced about seeing Lonnie in Chicago clubs long before
signing him to Alligator, the label where Lonnie Brooks has remained
since 1979. The introduction was laced with admiration for Lonnie and
his sons and their generational love of the blues. Their 90 minute set
was divided in thirds with Wayne’s music starting it off. He played new
tracks he has recently released as singles on line including “Tricks Up
My Sleeve” which was just released on soundcloud.com. Wayne then took a
break while his big brother Ronnie played a set full of gut wrenching
guitar, bending notes ‘til they broke and playing his heart out –giving
his all just like his father taught him. It should be mentioned that
Ronnie went the extra mile, or several extra miles, to get to the
Pennsylvania Blues Festival from a gig the night before in North Dakota,
and if he was tired, it didn’t show.
The crowd
was thoroughly primed by the time Lonnie Brooks came out to join his
sons and the 78 year-old bluesman knew how to satisfy. His trade mark
swampy licks were flying from his Gibson SG and his voice was in fine
form as he led the band through a handful of his classics and a
show-stopping rendition of “Sweet Home Chicago” wherein Lonnie again
shared the mic with anyone willing to pay homage to the birthplace of
electric blues. Lonnie prowled the catwalk like a tiger, shot bayou
lightning from his fingers, and gave a performance worthy of a man half
his age. It was inspiring to see this legend tearing it up and putting
on a show. His banter with his sons was amusing, he feigned guzzling
“vodka” from a water bottle, and joined in a six-hand guitar attack as
he, Ronnie, and Wayne all played the same guitar. It was a thrilling way
to close out the second annual Pennsylvania Blues Festival, celebrating
21 years of blues in the Poconos.
 
 
Michael Cloeren and the staff of Pennsylvania Blues Festival put
together a remarkable lineup, overcame bad weather, kept spirits high
and music flowing. With two stages of music, and many artists pulling
double duty on the Tent Stage, there was plenty of entertainment to
found even when the rain was coming down all around. As always, a blues
festival in the Poconos is a memorable time and if you missed it, put it
on your schedule for next year.
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
|
Blues Society News
|
Send your Blues Society's BIG news or Press
Release
about your
not-for-profit event with
the subject line "Blues Society News" to:
Maximum of 175 words in a Text or MS Word document
format.
Prairie Crossroads
Blues Society - Champaign, IL
Prairie Crossroads Blues Society welcomes 2012 International Blues
Challenge semi-finalist Donna Herula to the Champaign-Urbana area
for a slide guitar workshop and performance on Saturday, August 18.
Herula is a Chicago born blues singer and slide guitarist who
performs a variety of music from the early blues women and Delta men
to recent artists like Johnny Winter and Lucinda Williams.
If you want to learn to play slide guitar, but don’t know where to
start, Donna will be offering a slide workshop from 2:00-3:30 p.m.
at Corson Music’s Guitar Store, 202 W. Main St., Urbana. The fee is
$10, and includes instruction on different types of slides, guitar
set up and techniques used when playing in open tunings like G and
D. Slides will be provided. You don’t want to miss this event.
Later that evening Herula will be performing at The Iron Post, 120
South Race St. in Urbana. Opening for Herula is local singer
songwriter Gloria Robal. The show starts at 6 p.m. Admission is
$7.00 at the door. For more info visit
http://prairiecrossroadsblues.org/
Orange County
Blues Society - Orange, CA
Fullerton, Calif.) - The recently-formed Orange County Blues Society
presents its first-ever concert event - "The Muck Blues Roots
Festival" - under the stars at the scenic outdoor Muckenthaler
Cultural Center, 1201 W. Malvern Ave., Fullerton, Thursday, August
16. 8 p.m. Advance tickets available at
www.orangecountybluessociety.com or through the
Muckenthaler (www.themuck.org).
Info: (714) 328-9375 or (714) 738-6595. Portion of proceeds to
benefit San Diego-based Better Vision For Children Foundation, a
non-profit charity working to prevent and cure partial or total
blindness in pre-school children resulting from Amblyopia (Lazy
Eye), Autisim, Diabetes or Eye Cancer.
Decatur Blues Society -
Decatur, IL
Decatur Blues Society will hold their annual "Road to Memphis" blues
challenge on Sept 22, 2012. Open to both band and solo/duo. Winning
band and winning solo/duo will represent the Decatur Blues Society
in the International Blues Challenge held in Memphis in Jan 2013.
Entry forms and complete info can be found at
www.decaturblues.org.
Minnesota Blues Society - St.
Paul, MN
The Minnesota Blues Society presents 2012 Minnesota Hall of Fame
inductees. MnBS
would like to congratulate this years' honorees: Big Walter Smith,
"Blues Performer"; James Samuel "Cornbread" Harris, Sr., "Blues
Legend"; Dan Schwalbe, "Blues Sideman"; Electric Fetus, "Supportive
of the Blues (non-performer)"; Cyn Collins, "West Bank Boogie",
"Blues Art and Literature"; Lamont Cranston, "Tiger in your Tank",
"Blues Recording"; Will Donicht, "Blues on the Bank", "Blues
Song".
2012 Minnesota Hall of Fame event will be held, Sun, Oct 14,
Wilebski's Blues Saloon, St. Paul. Mn details to follow @
www.mnbs.org
Long Island Blues Society -
Centereach, NY
The Long Island Blues Society will be hosting the following events:
8/12/12 Tas Cru. Frank Celenza opening, at 2PM Bobbique in Patchogue NY. LIBS Members $8, all others $10.
9/16/12 Long Island Blues Talent Competition (LIBTC) to select a
representative for IBC. $10 donation to help defray winners expenses
in Memphis. Location TBA. Now accepting applications for Band,
Solo/Duo categories. Requirements on website
www.liblues.org
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 8:00pm $3
cover. • 8/13/2012 - Rockin Johnny • 8/27/2012 -Dennis Gruenling • 9/3/2012
- Eric Guitar Davis • 9/24/2012 - The 44s •
10/1/2012 - Levee Town • 10/8/2012 - Rich Fabec 10/15/2012 -
Jason Elmore. Other ICBC
sponsored events at the K of C Hall, Casey’s Pub, 2200 Meadowbrook
Rd., Springfield, IL from 7:30pm - Midnight - Jun 30 – Matt Hill . icbluesclub.org
The Friends Of The Blues - Watseka, IL
Friends of the Blues present 2012 shows:
Wed, August 22, Smokin’ Joe Kubek w/ Bnois King, 7 pm, Kankakee Valley Boat Club Thur, Sept 6, Ivas John Band, 7 pm, venue TBA Tues, Sept 18, Smilin’ Bobby, 7 pm, venue TBA Thur, Sept 27, Jerry Lee & Juju Kings, 7 pm, venue TBA Thursday, Oct 18, Morry Sochat & The Special 20s, 7 pm, TBA |
Featured
Blues Review 4 of 6
 Joe
Krown - Exposed
Self
Release
Time-50:07
Joe Krown
paid his dues for many years as the keyboard player for the legendary
Gatemouth Brown’s Gate’s Express. His current outfit is The Joe Krown
Trio that features New Orleans fixture Walter “Wolfman” Washington and
Russell Batiste Jr.. The main thrust of this solo piano recording is New
Orleans style R&B, along with a healthy dose of boogie woogie and blues.
The seven out of twelve originals could easily pass for performances
from some past piano masters. The ghosts of Professor Longhair, Tuts
(pronounced Toots) Washington and other piano greats have left their
marks all this release. As well as the very much alive patriarch of the
New Orleans sound Allen Toussaint. Joe is one of the few current piano
players keeping this music alive for new generations to appreciate. This
stuff is right up my alley. Long time fans of this music as well as
those being exposed (no pun intended) to it for the first time will get
endless hours of enjoyment.
He manages
to create his own slices of the New Orleans sound that remain true to
the style while still coming off as fresh. He does this to great effect
on the title track, as well as on “13th Ward Boogie”. He also does
faithful renditions of classics by Professor Longhair and others. His
take on “Rum & Coca Cola” is a sprightly workout of The Andrews Sister’s
fifties hit that was a staple of Professor Longhair’s repertoire.
Fess’
“Mardi Gras In New Orleans” is taken a half step slower, but Joe comes
as close to Fess’ piano-fingering technique as is humanly possible. He
also covers “Pop’s Dilemma” by the late New Orleans eccentric and
troubled mad-genius James Booker. I’m not familiar with that particular
tune of his, but this rendition is a bouncy and tuneful romp. The Allen
Toussaint written Ernie K-doe hit “Mother In Law” is readily
recognizable in its instrumental version here. Joe is certainly no
slouch either in crafting a slow blues of his own. He offers up four
that conjure up legendary blues piano greats such as Big Maceo, Otis
Spann, Pinetop Perkins and endless others.
The love of
a genre along with the talent to give the music its fair due is what
makes this such a fulfilling project. To hear the songs in their
stripped down state, much as you would in a tiny dive bar in New
Orleans, makes this an intimate and pleasurable listening experience. If
you are new to this type of music this is a good starting place to
discover it and then seek out the originators. Old-time fans will derive
enjoyment that will evoke memories.
Reviewer Greg “Bluesdog” Szalony hails from the New
Jersey Delta.
For other reviews and interviews on our website
CLICK HERE
|
Featured Blues Review 5 of
6
 Li'L
Ronnie & the Grand Dukes - Gotta Strange Feeling
14 tracks/55:23
One might wonder why someone would decide to start a new record label in
the middle of a devastating economic downturn. EllerSoul Records
deserves credit for opting to move ahead, beginning their business
venture with a slim roster populated by musicians that were still
searching for their turn in the spotlight. The label's release by singer
Marion James, Essence, garnered plenty of praise from the critics while
two other solo releases by guitarists Andy Poxon and Ivan Appelrouth are
nominated for the 2012 Blues Blast Music Award in the Best New Artist
Debut Recording category. Another release had Li'L Ronnie Owens on harp
teamed with guitarist Terry Garland as an acoustic blues duo.
Now Li'L Ronnie steps out with his regular band, the Grand Dukes, which
features Appelrouth on six strings, John Sheppard on bass, Mark Young on
drums and John Fralin on piano. Janet Martin handles the backing vocal
on five cuts. Three tunes switch line-ups with Owens getting support
from Stu Grimes on drums, Mike Moore on bass and Jim Wark on guitar. The
program features two Li'L Ronnie originals along with ten others he
co-wrote with Appelrouth.
Owens is a twenty-five year veteran based out of Richmond, VA with three
independent releases under his belt, all featuring the Dukes... His
singing is quite compelling on “Screaming & Crying” with Appelrouth on
acoustic guitar and North Side Slim sitting in on maracas and his duet
with Martin on “I Won’t Take it Any More” is another highlight. The
slower pace of “Love Never Dies” is another good fit for the leader’s
pleading voice and Appelrouth adds a spell-binding solo. Owens delivers
enthusiastic vocals on most tracks but on a few cuts, like a cover of
Chuck Berry’s “C’est la Vie” and the title track, he falls short of
matching the level of excitement that the band creates.
Tracks like “Sweet Sue” and the infectious “Can’t Please Your Wife” give
Li’L Ronnie plenty of space for his robust harp blowing and Fralin makes
good use of his solo opportunity. The swinging groove on Louis Jordan’s
“Buzz Me” offers a nice change of pace while the opener, “Can’t Buy My
Love”, finds the band sounding very comfortable in the traditional
Chicago style. Owens gives the reeds on his harp a workout on “She’s Bad
Bad News”, alternating a reedy sound in the upper register with a fatter
tone on the other end of his instrument. On the appropriately-named
instrumental “Late Night Blues”, Owens and Appelrouth engage in an
impeccable musical dialogue, expertly playing off each other’s lines.
“Fat City” is a showcase for more of the leader’s raw harp, spurred on
by a pounding beat from Young.
This very solid effort gives EllerSoul another little gem to add to
their growing catalog. Li’L Ronnie, Appelrouth and the rest of the band
consistently deliver tight performances that feature quality
musicianship without resorting bursts of gratuitous showboating. I hope
that I get the chance to see the band live. No doubt that it will be a
rockin’ good time!!!
Reviewer
Mark Thompson retired after twelve years as president of the Crossroads
Blues Society in Rockford. IL. and moved to Florida. He has been
listening to music of all kinds for over fifty years. Favorite musicians
include Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Magic Slim, Magic
Sam, Charles Mingus and Count Basie.
For other reviews and interviews on our website
CLICK HERE
|
Featured Blues Review 6 of
6
 Jimmy
Thackery & JP Soars - As Live as it Gets
White River, Jamthack, Inc. and Jordimax Music (BMI)
CD 1: 5 songs; 47:32 minutes
CD 2: 4 songs; 46:25 minutes
Styles: Traditional and Modern Electric Blues with Horns
On the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise in October 2011, two
outstanding guitarists made big waves! D.C. veteran Jimmy Thackery and
JP Soars, winner of the 2009 International Blues Challenge in Memphis,
teamed up to produce a 2-CD album that’s “As Live as it Gets.” In over
90 minutes of music, there are only a total of nine songs (four
originals and five covers). The reason for this is clear once one
remembers Thackery and Soars’ venue. Because they’re performing a live
concert on the Blues Cruise, this album’s dynamics are far different
from one recorded in a studio. These talented bluesmen play lengthy
guitar riffs and horn solos (one song is 20 minutes) to please the crowd
and provide ambient music for everyone’s on-board merriment. That said,
here are the three best tracks with their three best aspects:
Track 01: “A Letter to my Girlfriend”--JP Soars and the Hydraulic Horns
propel this Eddie “Guitar Slim” Jones cover to the beginning of the
album with jazzy aplomb. It has all of the characteristics an opening
number should: catchiness, energy, and the perfect length for Jimmy
Thackery and tenor saxophonist Joe McGlohon’s solos in the middle. Even
though the lyrics are pleasantly bouncy in and of themselves, listeners
should “read between the lines” and lose themselves in all the passion
that the instruments provide!
Track 02: “Blind Man (In the Night)”--Originally featured on Thackery’s
“Feel the Heat” album, this ballad of a man lost without his love is
most notable for its riveting guitar intro and lyrics: “I can’t stand to
watch the sunset. It doesn’t thrill me anymore. You know, it always
makes me wonder who it was that you left me for….” In terms of
intensity, this slow-blues masterpiece is unmatched--the crowning glory
of these two CDs.
Track 08: “Hobart’s Blues”--Thackery’s original instrumental is perfect
for cruising, whether on a boat or in a car! No single musician can be
pointed out as the “star” here, because all of them are in top form and
give 110% in the course of their performance. No wonder the crowd cheers
before the song’s over: they’re thrilled with what they’ve heard so far
and can’t wait for more!
Accompanying Thackery and Soars on the Blues Cruise and this album are
Mark “Bumpy Rhoades” Bumgarner on bass, George “Bam Bam” Sheppard on
drums, Joe McGlohon on tenor sax, and Jim Spake on baritone sax. All of
them are “As Live as it Gets,” as fans of guitar and horn expertise will
attest!
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
|
Live Blues Calendar
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