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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 slide guitar master, Sonny Landreth.
We have six music reviews for you! Mark Thompson reviews a new release
from Dave Keller.
James "Skyy Dobro" Walker reviews a new release from
Anthony Gomes. Steve Jones reviews the new CD from Lady Bianca and also a
new CD from Hurricane Ruth. John Mitchell reviews the new Melvin Taylor CD
and also a new album from Colin Linden. All this and MORE! SCROLL DOWN!!!
Blues
Wanderings
We caught a great set by Matthew Curry & The Fury at a show put on by the River City Blues
Society in our hometown of Pekin, IL this week. His debut CD, If I Don't
Got You, has gotten favorable reviews in several major Blues
publications.
Matthew is starting to get some serious attention in the Blues festival
world too. He is already booked to play the Mississippi Valley Blues Fest in
Iowa, The Prairie Dog Blue Fest in Wisconsin and the Telluride Blues fest in
Colorado this summer. Not bad for a kid who just turned 17 last week!
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or 870-833-3498.
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Featured Blues Interview -
Sonny Landreth
 It's pretty
much the equivalent of bolting a nuclear-powered turbo thruster onto the
business-end of a Lamborghini.
And the
results are understandably mind-blowing.
Joe
Satriani soloing over the top of a Sonny Landreth track.
Let that
sink in for a second.
“Gaia
Tribe,” the opening cut on Sonny Landreth's 11th album, the
fittingly-titled Elemental Journey (Landfall), chugs right along as the
Louisiana slide guitar maestro breathlessly rips off line after line of
exquisite phrasing, moving things from zero to 60 in a thrilling flash.
And just as
you think the lively instrumental song has reached its apex, Satriani
jumps in with all six strings blazing, knocking out a frenzied solo that
sends “Gaia Tribe” straight into the stratosphere, helplessly headed for
the heart of the sun.
Of course,
that's probably just the jaw-dropping performance that most guitar
aficionados would expect between a pairing of Landreth and Satch.
However,
they might be a bit surprised to find out that at one time,
Landreth
had some serious doubts about that tune ever making the final cut for
Elemental Journey, his follow-up to 2008’s From the Reach.
“His solo
just came out of nowhere. And that really raised the bar and inspired me
to go back in and make a transition from his solo back to the verse. So
me and my friend Sam Broussard (guitarist for Steve Riley & the Mamou
Playboys), who had already written the string parts for the song, wrote
the transitional section and added it to the other part of the song, as
well. And then we ended up using an outro I had improvised on and used
strings on, as well. So the next thing I know, what had started out as a
fairly simple instrumental song – one that I wasn't sure was good enough
for the album – became something much bigger. And I love that. And that
never would have happened without his input. That's what I love about
working with great artists – the things that they bring to the table.”
 Landreth
was equally impressed by what Satch left off of the table on the song.
“My
engineer (Tony Daigle) called me and said, 'I got the track back from
Joe and you're not going to believe this, but he just sent the solo.' I
said, 'Wow. Really?' But when I talked to Joe, he said that he thought
anything else he added to it would take away from what I'd already done.
And I really respected that,” said Landreth.
Satriani,
along with fellow virttuoso Eric Johnson, who also guests on Elemental
Journey, have long been heralded for their all-instrumental affairs.
But for the
king of the slide guitar from Breaux Bridge, La., this marked a first.
“That was a
decision I made quite awhile back. It was something that I'd been
wanting to do,” he said. “I think what even pointed me more in that
direction was a show I had done with the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra.”
Landreth
played Bach's Cantata 140 at a Christmas show in 2005 with the
Lafayette-based orchestra.
“My
experience with that made me want to use strings on the next album I
made. And I think that, along with the bonus tracks that we put on the
expanded edition of Levee Town – tracks that I had for nine years and
going back to listen to them and finding out they still held up– was all
kind of part of the process in deciding to make this an instrumental
album. But you know in the past, I've always had instrumentals (songs)
on all my albums. And I wondered what if we did the whole project like
that? But I go way back with instrumental albums. As a kid, I listened
to groups like The Ventures and the instrumental songs of the day. It
was a concept I wanted to embrace and this felt like the right time to
do it.”
The fact
that he had never cut an entire record without vocals didn't slow down
Landreth one bit, even though the creative process was a tad different
this time around.
 “The
difference for me would be the voice and looking at it in terms of using
the guitar as the lead voice,” he said. “So, you have to come up with
different ideas to keep that interesting. That told me to use more
layering and different kinds of sounds. Because if you think about it,
it's kind of a soundtrack that conjures up imagery, so I think it's
(different sounds and layers) even more important here than on an album
with vocals. And I really wanted to make sure I had something that the
guests wanted to play on and would be inspired by. I think it's
important to write the piece with them in mind.”
The
soundtrack forged on Elemental Journey is one awash in the invocative
slide guitar that no one but Landreth could pull off, but there's also
something totally different than anything he has authored before – with
strings on five cuts and even flourishes of classical music making its
presence felt.
And with
all those diverse pieces coming together to make up a cohesive unit of
work, even the title of the album has special significance.
“I looked at this project as a journey and there were a lot of different elements that came together – different styles of music that have influenced me in the past – along with the elements of different musicians from different genres of music, as well,” he said. “And looking at it philosophically, as in all of our experiences being existential in life, that's certainly been the case with me - especially when it comes to music.”
A good
chunk of those 'existential musical experiences' no doubt came from
Landreth's tour of duty with The Goners, master songwriting force John
Hiatt's sometimes backing band.
And
naturally, being around Hiatt on a daily basis was bound to rub off on
Landreth's own songwriting skills.
“I sure
hope so. I always felt like it was such a great opportunity to work with
John and he's constantly writing. He'd be in a (hotel) room next to mine
and I'd hear him working on songs,” Landreth said. “And then, the next
phase would be us working that song up in the studio, or at soundcheck.
He was constantly doing that. I mean, I've been writing ever since I was
a little kid – it's what I've always wanted to do – but to be up close
with him was really special. And yeah, you always hope some of the
cosmic dust rubs off on you.”
Another huge influence on the music that ultimately ends up on a Sonny Landreth album is the guitarist's home stomping grounds of Louisiana.  Whether
immortalized in tracks like “South of I10,” or even “Wonderide” off the
next record, it's hard not to feel the presence, along with the essence
of the Pelican State, oozing out of everything Landreth does.
“I think at
one point a long time ago, that was by choice, just because of how rich
the culture is here and how important the music is here,” he said. “I
was very fortunate to grow up in this environment, because this is not
everywhere. And after I traveled around a little bit, that made me
appreciate it even more. But even though it’s still a source of
inspiration, I don't think about it as much now. It's probably more of a
case of osmosis, or the gumbo or the humidity these days, I'm not sure.
But you really can't help but feel it living here. It permeates
everything in a good way.”
And as
anyone who knows anything about Louisiana can attest to – even though
the state is a huge melting pot of music, zydeco is still king.
And
Landreth served an apprenticeship at the side of one of the undisputed
kings of feel-good zydeco, the legendary Clifton Chenier.
And if you
were going to be on the bandstand with Clifton and the Red Hot Louisiana
Band, you'd better be on your toes at all times.
“He would
interpret a song in the heat of the moment. I've never known anyone that
had the catalog of songs in their head that Clifton did. Every night we
would play at least one song that we had never – that I had never –
played before,” said Landreth. “And then, he would change the keys up.
So really, it pushed me in a great way to really let loose and be ready
for anything. It tests your mettle in a way that you just can't pull out
by sitting on your couch at home.”
Improvisation may have been an ever-changing part of the buffet at a
Clifton Chenier show, but no matter what tune was played on what night,
one thing about the menu never changed.
 “It was a
real lesson in rhythm, too. The way that he would play shuffles, his
right hand and his left hand and how he would combine things was really
amazing, especially when he would break it down and it would just be
him, his brother Cleveland on rubboard and Big Robert on drums. It was a
sound I'll never forget. I've never heard anything like it,” Landreth
said. “And one of the other important things I learned from Clif was how
the solo in a blues tune, the way he did it, really lifted the song. If
you played it one time around – 12 bars – every time you come back
around, you make it (the solo) bigger. There’s always a transition. And
if you make it to the third round, it’s even bigger. Robert had a way of
doing that that really helped me rhythmically – thinking in terms of
that – in pretty much everything I have done since then.”
To have
been tutored by one of the true masters is something that Landreth will
never forget.
It’s also a
lesson that no amount of money could ever come close to purchasing.
“I always
tell people that for me, if I had been raised in Chicago, it would have
been like Muddy Waters taking me under his wing. That’s how important
Clifton and the Creole world, along with zydeco music, was to me,” said
Landreth.
That
tradition of Louisiana’s rich, musical heritage continues today and
refuses to be swayed or pushed aside by the often soulless sounds coming
out of today's top 40 radio stations, regardless of locale.
“I think
it’s because it’s true to the source of the roots, coming from culture.
It’s also the nature of creativity,” Landreth said. “I think regardless
of what’s playing on the radio, or what’s mainstream, there’s always
going to be the other side of it, fortunately, where people are being
creative and are pursuing their own boundaries. I see it here with these
kids coming up in whole families of Cajun and Creole, and these kids are
in their late teens and they’re incorporating all kinds of different
styles into their music. And I’m really happy about that. It’s really
encouraging when you let the influences inside you inspire yourself to
take things somewhere else to develop and grow it.”
Born in 1951, Landreth was just the right age, along with a host of other budding musicians, to become influenced by Elvis’ guitar player, the fantastic Scotty Moore.
However,
the guitar was not the first music-maker that young Sonny Landreth first
became inseparable from. It was a decidedly less bluesy thing that he
first learned to make noise on.
 “Trumpet
ended up being my first instrument and I played it from about 10 years
old, all the way through school. It wasn't until I was 13 that I got my
first acoustic guitar,” he said. “And the electric was soon to follow. I
had one by the time I was 14 and that was the thing for me.”
And much
like the way his surroundings would eventually find their way into his
songs, Landreth's time playing the trumpet had a huge impact on the way
he learned to play the guitar.
“It really
did, because I came at it (the guitar) more from the mentality of a wind
instrument player, which means when it comes to phrasing, you have to
take a breath. And that really changes everything,” he said. “And
there's a vocal quality to that, too. And looking back on it, my blues
heroes – especially the delta blues – and then my jazz heroes that
played trumpet, wanted to emulate the human voice with their instrument.
And in the case of the delta blues, they would sing a line and then do
the call-and-response with the guitar and that became like the other
voice. And I think playing the trumpet really helped me come at the
guitar from another angle, so to speak. It also (the trumpet) brought to
me a discipline I might not have had otherwise. And I'm grateful for
that.”
That angle
has developed into one of the most recognizable sounds in modern music.
When Landreth starts attacking the guitar with a slide on his left hand
-fretting in behind the slide as he works his way up and down the neck –
while at the same time picking out notes and hammering the strings with
his right hand, the end result is one distinctive and unforgettable
sound.
So just how
did his legendary style, especially his right-hand technique, take
shape?
“Well, what
set me on the path was learning the Chet Atkins right-hand approach. I
was a kid working in a music store and there was an older kid who worked
there and he sat down and played “Yankee Doodle Dixie” and “Windy and
Warm” and all these classic Chet pieces and it blew my mind. It never
occurred to me that multiple parts – melody, rhythm and bass line –
could be going at the same time,” Landreth said. “I'd heard it in
classical music, but not like that. And that in a way opened a door for
me, because it got me to thinking differently about sounds, too. And as
I progressed with it and started playing slide, putting the two together
was a huge step in that direction for me. I realized I could create
different kinds of sounds by using the slide with it (right-hand
technique). I always tell people you learn to trust your instinct and
let one thing lead to another. You hit on something and that inspires
you and opens up into something else. I just kept discovering new
sounds.”
 With a new
album under his belt, and with the winter weather giving way to summer,
Landreth is eager to hit the road once again.
“It's that
time of year for us and we're getting back to playing some shows. Really
we haven't played much since November, because I've been in the studio
finishing up the album. But we're getting back at it and it feels good,”
said Landreth. “Feels real good to be able to crank it up again.”
And as
always, if Sonny Landreth is on stage, wailing away, bass player Dave
Ranson won't be far from the epicenter. The two have been friends on and
off the bandstand for over three decades.
“We go way
back, to when we were teenagers. He's got a great sense of rhythm that
goes really deep. Nobody plays like him. He's the anchor,” Landreth
said. “We know each other so well that we know what the other one is
going to do from one moment to the next on stage. And we really trust
each other. I know I can depend on him in ways that I couldn't
otherwise. We've survived this many years together and that says a lot.
It's hard to keep a band together with all the changes and challenges
and the nature of the business.”
With
Elemental Journey yet to hit the street, naturally, Landreth has no firm
plans at the ready for what would be album number 12 in his arsenal.
It is
probably a safe bet, however, to figure on at least one guest star
popping up to lend their talents.
With
stalwarts like Mark Knopfler, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton and Vince Gill,
along with Joe Satriani and Eric Johnson, showing up on his past
long-players, Sonny Landreth has amassed one amazing list of top-flight
pickers to jam with.
But there
is one superstar that he has yet to hook up with on an album.
“Jeff Beck.
I would really like to work with him sometime. I've been a big fan of
his for a long time and he's someone I'd like to do something with, for
sure,” Landreth said.
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
 Dave
Keller - Where I'm Coming From...
Tastee-Tone
Records
12
tracks/40:48
Writing a
review is always a tough task. If the disc fails to move you, one still
needs to find some positive attributes to counter your remarks about
perceived shortcomings. If you are really excited about a recording, it
can be challenging to find the right phrases that clearly communicate
what makes the record great. But what do you say when the album under
consideration has already been named the Best-Self Produced CD of the
year by the Blues Foundation?
In the case
of Dave Keller's award-winning project, you start by acknowledging that
producer Bob Perry has put together a fine sounding disc. He surrounds
Keller's emphatic vocals with expert backing from the Revelations – Wes
Mingus on guitar & lap-steel, Gintas Janusonis on drums & percussion,
Josh Werner on bass and Ethan White on keyboards. The horn section of
David Steinberg on sax, Geoff Countryman on baritone sax and Joe
Ancowitz on trumpet also make strong contributions. Keller plays guitar,
taking the majority of solos.
You would
expect a disc honored by the Blues Foundation to offer to honor or
extend the blues tradition. In this case, you would be wrong. Keller and
Perry selected an impressive batch of tunes from the soul genre – songs
that pack a punch and, for the most part, are none too familiar.
Keller
easily fills the role of the blue-eyed soulster, his voice crying out in
anguish on “You Hurt Me For the Last Time” or soaring as he pleads for
understanding on Phillip Mitchell's “That's The Way I Want to Live My
Life”.
“Are You
Going Where I'm Coming From” establishes a tougher groove. Keller gets
vocal support from his brother Todd and Harley Hiatt. The lead singer
for the Revelations, Tre Williams, joins Keller for a stirring vocal
duet on “The Things We Have to Do”.
With the
horn section riffing behind him, Keller sounds convincing as a man
trapped by the love of a woman on “Too Weak to Fight”. The cheating song
“Steppin' Out” finds Keller vowing to answer his lover's treachery with
some of his own. His expressive singing on Robert Ward's “Strictly
Reserved For You” highlights the positive aspects of love. The only weak
moment occurs on “Pouring Water On a Drowning Man”. Keller fails to
generate the emotional impact found on other versions of this classic
tune.
This
recording succeeds on several levels – strong material, sympathetic
backing musicians, fine production, great sound and a singer who can get
to the heart of a song. It may not be blues but it sure is some damn
fine music!
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
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Featured Blues Review 2 of 6
 Anthony
Gomes - Up 2 Zero
Up 2
Zero Entertainment
11
songs; 39:29 minutes; Suggested
Styles:
Blues Rock
In 1997, I
attended a show by Too Slim and the Taildraggers in the Chicago suburbs.
An opening act played on stage while Tim “Too Slim” Langford and I
chatted out back on the open-air patio. Trying to concentrate on our
conversation, I kept getting distracted by the great music coming
through the open door. I finally mentioned how good the guitar was, and
Too Slim agreed, telling me he was well aware of the talented young
Canadian as an up and comer. The opening act: Anthony Gomes.
Since that
time 15 years ago, Anthony Gomes has reached stellar heights playing
shows world-wide and earning a reputation for great music. He has
ventured into Rock and recorded an intimate acoustic offering, but his
seventh and latest album represents a full-circle return to the style of
Blues Rock music that originally caught my ears. “Up 2 Zero” contains
eleven tracks of which Anthony Gomes is credited either as writer or
co-writer on all of them. Co-writing credits also go out to Tom
Hambridge (1 Track), and Jim Peterik (5 Tracks). Here is Gomes’s love of
high energy, guitar-driven Blues Rock combining straight ahead Power
Blues compositions with tracks that incorporate soul-injected melodic
moments.
Sending
that message plainly is the opening tune “Back To the Start.” Gomes
comments from his website, “I wanted to begin the CD with a powerhouse
shuffle to set the tone of where we are at musically. Lyrically, the
song says it all. As simple as it sounds, you have to follow your heart
and I had to get back to where I started. For me, it’s the blues. I can
always try different things, but I always find myself going back to
where the music started.” The meaning of the album’s title, “Up 2
Zero,” is going back to the beginning touchstone for today’s
performing.
Born in
Toronto, Canada, to a Portuguese father and a French-Canadian mother,
Gomes began playing guitar in his early teens and was drawn to Blues
sounds from B.B. King to Stevie Ray Vaughan. While he honed his skills
in Blues bars at night, Gomes earned a Master’s Degree in history from
the University of Toronto focusing on the “Racial Evolution of Blues
Music.” He relocated to Chicago in the late ’90s to learn from the Blues
masters and to establish himself as a musician and artist. During his
brief stint as a sideman for Magic Slim and the Teardrops, Gomes put
together his own group and won the first annual Buddy Guy’s Legends
“Best Unsigned Blues Band” competition in 1998. Three years later, he
moved to Nashville to sharpen his skills as a songwriter.
After the
opening track, our next spin on the Friends of the Blues Radio Show will
be Track 5, “Room 414.” Gomes explained the meaning: “... what’s the
significance is of that room?” Anthony laughs, “It is actually the room
number at the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio where Robert Johnson recorded
all his material.” Strong with Blues influences and growling vocals,
this up tempo shuffle will bring both smiles and dancing feet. By
overdubbing, Gomes gets to play call and response with himself in some
killer guitar work.
Next up,
some slower Blues in “Voodoo Moon” featuring deep Blues imagery. In the
song, Gomes claims he saw “the ghosts of Clarksdale” with his own eyes.
It’s a wonderful track with tasty guitar work and unearthly vocals.
“Up 2 Zero”
is expertly paced with a nice mix of hard-rocking Blues and easier
numbers. For example, try the slow burner “One Last Time.” “Love Sweet
Love” is reminiscent to what you’d expect of something from the 1970s
Southern Rock scene. And, “Darkest before the Dawn,” which updates Gomes
original version on 2002’s “Unity” album, is a ballad with tender vocals
ala his love of Soul and Gospel music.
Yes,
Anthony Gomes is “back,” although I’m not sure he ever “left.” Talent
that good does not just go away. But, in the ebb and flow of careers,
Gomes is definitely back on an upswing!
Reviewer James "Skyy Dobro" Walker is a noted Blues writer, DJ,
Master of Ceremonies, and Blues Blast contributor. His weekly radio show
"Friends of the Blues" can be heard Saturdays 8 pm - Midnight on WKCC
91.1 FM and at www.wkccradio.org
in Kankakee, IL..
For other reviews and interviews on our website
CLICK HERE
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Featured Blues Review 3 of 6
 Lady
Bianca - Servin' Notice
Magic-O Records
12 tracks
Lady Bianca (AKA Bianca Thornton) is a dynamic and talented singer. With
this, her seventh album, we get to hear her and her band deep into soul
and the blues. Her vocals are expressive and range from soft and sultry
to big and powerful. Her backing band is tight and focused, making each
cut a nice little package of soulful blues goodness. 10 of the 11 cuts
are Bianca's own originals, and she has done a great job with them.
The title of the CD indicates that Lady B is serving notice that she is
here, on the scene and is a force to be reckoned with. Her performances
starts out strong on "He Told Me The Same Thing Too" where she
commiserates with another woman that their lover told her the same lies.
This is a full up and well-orchestrated number with a big sound, backing
vocals and prominent lead guitar riffs. Slower cuts like "You Got Me
Drinkin'" and "What Am I Gonna Do With You" and" Another Woman's
Man"
are quite intriguing and focused. "What Am I Gonna Do with You" is
especially sultry with super guitar and organ work along with the guitar
and vocals.
"For Real" is jazzy and funky, with sax and organ complimenting Lady B's vocals. "It Hurts to Be In Love" is a bouncy harmonic vocal duet while "Wake Up Baby" offers some rocking guitar riffs to open it and as solos within it. Bianca wails on Blues In The Bedroom", with all sorts of emotions pouring out. "Cold Side of Love" gives us a little Bianca funk, too. She closes the set with "Down Like Rain", which is another long down tempo piece.
It's all good stuff. If I had to offer some sort of criticism it would
be to have Lady Bianca let it all hang out more. I would like to see her
go out and blast away; she's got the vocal prowess to do so and it would
really be impressive to here her in that mode.
Accompanying Bianca are Steve Gannon on guitar, Carl Green on sax for two cuts, Dave K. Matthews on organ, Michael Skinner on drums/percussion, Oshim O. Oden on bass, and Tovia Bradley on drums for the opening cut. Stanley Lipett join Bianca for the vocal duet on "It Hurts To Be In Love".
I enjoyed this album and also noted it is getting some airplay on
Sirius/XM Radio Bluesville. Bianca's talents are getting some notice.
She will also be featured at this year's Mississippi Valley Blues
Festival in Davenport and I am looking forward to the opportunity to see
and hear her live! I think it's worth picking up a copy of this CD to
hear her on your own, too- I think her funky style of blues is a great
change up from some of the new stuff passing our way.
Reviewer Steve
Jones is president 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 since 1996, he writes for and
publishes the bi-monthly newsletter for Crossroads, chairs their music
festival and work with their Blues In The Schools program. He resides in
Byron, IL.
For other reviews and interviews on our website
CLICK HERE
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Featured Blues Review 4 of 6
 Hurricane
Ruth - The Power of the Blues...Feels Like a Hurricane
Self-released
8 tracks
Hurricane Ruth blows in as a force 5 hurricane with her power blues and
support by a trio of musicians who are ready to keep the hurricane
moving. Hurricane Ruth is Ruth LaMaster and she is joined by David
Lumsden on guitar, Gary Davis on bass and Jim Engel on drums. Ruth
provides the powerful vocals that match up with the band's big rock and
blues sound. Recorded mostly live in the studio in the Windy City, the
band is filled with energy and is ably led by the dynamic LaMaster.
The CD begins with "Roll Little Sister", a rocker built on the Stones
"Dance Little Sister" theme. After the opener I felt this could be an
80's hair band led by a blues woman. It's a jumping tune we've heard in
other places but it's a lot of fun and the delivery is big and bold. No
pun intended, but LaMaster is apparently a master of this stuff. A
stinging slow rocking blues follows; "I'm Gonna Get Evil" has a great
big, stinging guitar solo and Hurricane Ruth testifying as to the bad
things she is going to do to her man.
"The Power of the Blues...Feels Like a Hurricane" begins with the big
guitar intro and Ruth then gets into it with the guitar, she trading her
vocals licks off with Lumsden's axe. More big 80's rocking guitar solos
abound here once again. Slow blues is up again next with "Let Me Change
Your Mind" and Ruth is more than up to the task. She gets down and
dirty, really breathy and lustful- well done. But then we get
"Mississippi Queen" and it sounds like just another cover band who can't
hold a flame to the original. I was hoping Ruth would give it a new and
different spin, but it's not much of a change up. "No Worries" returns
the set list to the blues and Hurricane Ruth is again in her element.
Dirty guitar licks, a nice beat and her gritty vocals meld well together
here.
Next up is Sly Stones' "I Want To Take You Higher". I love the
minute-plus long guitar intro and later solos that are excellent and
Ruth handles the vocals a lot better than the Mountain song; she comes
off as a lot more real here than in the other cover. "Shouting" through
late 70's and 80's rock song is in her wheelhouse. Lastly we have "The
Lesson" which is an in-your-face sort of slow blues with a poignant
guitar lead. I like this track a lot, too. Great power guitar and gutsy
vocals.
It's got some 80's rock sound to some of it and the "Mississippi Queen"
cover seems a little misplaced, but the real criticism I have is that we
only get 8 songs to listen to here. I know that was all albums had in
the old days, but it seems to be done just as the band is getting
started. But it's powerful and has a lot of energy. Ruth's vocals are
really good and so is Lumsden on lead guitar. Hard rocking blues fans
will find some great tidbits to enjoy here.
Reviewer
Steve
Jones is president 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 since 1996, he writes for and
publishes the bi-monthly newsletter for Crossroads, chairs their music
festival and work with their Blues In The Schools program. He resides in
Byron, IL.
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:
Maximum of 175 words in a Text or MS Word document
format.
Crossroads Blues
Society - Rockford, IL
Two hot June shows coming up in Rockford!!! Walter Trout is
appearing at the Adriatic at 327 W.Jefferson St in Rockford, IL on
Tuesday, June 5th at 8 PM. Advanced tickets are only $15, with
admission $20 atthe door. Tickets are available at the club, online
at
http://crossroadsbluessociety.blogspot.com/. Get tickets early
as this may sell out!
Bryan Lee appears at Mary's Place at 602 N Madison St in Rockford,
IL on Wednesday June 13th. Admission is $10; advanced tickets get
reserved seating. Tickets at Mary's place or through Crossroads
Blues Society. Call 779-537-4006 or email
sub_insignia@yahoo.com
for more info on either show.
The Blues Kids Foundation - Chicago, IL
The Blues Kids Foundation presents Fernando Jones’ Annual Blues
Camp. This fun-filled experience awards scholarships to over 120
Blues Kids (ages 12 to 18), affording them a “priceless” fun-filled
experience. They will learn and perform America’s root music in a
fully funded, weeklong program with like minded others under the
tutelage of national and international instructors. Blues Camp is in
residence at: Columbia College Chicago, Huston-Tillotson University
(Austin, TX) and the Fender Center (Corona, CA). This series is
designed for America’s youth and educators. To be a sponsor
call us at 312-369-3229.
CAMP DATES & CITIES
July 15 - 21 / Columbia College, Chicago, IL June 17 - 23 / Fender Center, Corona, CA June 13 - 16 / Huston-Tillotson University, Austin, TX
The Ventura
County Blues Society - Ventura County, CA
The Ventura County (Calif) Blues Society has their weekly "BluesJam" series at The
Tavern in Ventura every
Wednesday. The Ventura County Blues Society's Sunday
Blues Matinee Concert Series kicks off Sunday, July 8 with Chris
Cain, Tommy Marsh and Bad Dog, and Kelly's Lot, at the High Street
Arts Center, in Moorpark, Calif. Info:
http://www.venturacountybluessociety.org/.
Prairie Crossroads
Blues Society – Champaign-Urbana, IL
Prairie Crossroads Blues Society shows: Friday, June 1, 1st
Friday Blues, Tee Dee Young, WEFT and Memphis on Main, Champaign.
For more info:
http://prairiecrossroadsblues.org.
The Diamond State Blues
Society - Middletown , Delaware
The 1st St. Georges Blues Fest sponsored by The Diamond State Blues
Society is Saturday, June 16th, 2012, Noon to 8pm rain or shine, on
the grounds of The Commodore Center, 1701 N. DuPont Hwy., St.
Georges, Delaware. Featured are Garry Cogdell & the Complainers;
lower case blues with special guest Johnny Neel; Dave Fields,
Brandon Santini & his Band; J.P. Soars & the Red Hots; and
headlining is The Bernard Allison Group. Details and links to
tickets at
www.DiamondStateBlues.com.
Mississippi Valley Blues Society - Davenport, IA
The Mississippi Valley Blues Festival
in Davenport, Iowa is June 29th & 30th, and July1st. Scheduled
performers include Mathew Curry and The Fury, Earnest ‘’Guitar’’ Roy,
Sugar Ray and the Bluetones, Liz Mandeville and Donna Herula, Kenny Neal
and Super Chikan Johnson on June 29th, Terry Quiett, Bryce Janey, Ray
Fuller and the Blues Rockers, Doug MacLeod, Preston Shannon, Ernest
Dawkins Quartet, Guitar Shorty, Moreland and Arbuckle, Coco Montoya and
Kelley Hunt on June 30th. Lady Bianca, Paul Geremia, Johnny Rawls,
Trampled Under Foot and the Brooks Family Blues Dynasty featuring Lonnie
Brooks, Ronnie Baker Brooks and Wayne Baker Brooks, plus Bobby Rush with
“The Double Rush Revue” on Sunday July 1st.
http://www.mvbs.org
River City Blues Society
- Pekin, IL
River City Blues Society presents: Bringing The Blues To You with
the following shows at Goodfellas 1414 N. 8th St, Pekin, Illinois
- 2011 International Blues Challenge winner Lionel Young Band with
opening act The Governor on
Friday, June 22 From 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm Admission: $5.00 For more info visit:
www.rivercityblues.com
or call 309-648-8510
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. Jun 4 – Big Jeff Chapman Blues Band , Jun 11 – Deb Callahan,
Jun 18 – Sugar Ray & The Bluetones Jun 25 – TBA. Other ICBC
sponsored events at the K of C Hall, Casey’s Pub, 2200 Meadowbrook
Rd., Springfield, IL from 7:30pm - Midnight - May 12 – Eddie Turner
Band, , - Jun 30 – Matt Hill . icbluesclub.org
The Friends Of The Blues - Watseka, IL
Friends of the Blues present 2012 shows:
Tues, June 19, Sugar Ray Norcia & Bluetones, 7 pm, Kankakee Valley Boat Club Tues, June 26, Tom Holland & Shuffle Kings, 7 pm, Bradley Bourbonnais Sportsmen’s Club July – Sugarcane Collins - details TBA July - Dave Riley – details TBA Tues, July 24, Laurie Morvan Band, 7 pm, Bradley Bourbonnais Sportsmen’s Club 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 Thursday, Oct 18, Morry Sochat & The Special 20s, 7 pm, TBA |
Featured Blues Review 5 of 6
 Melvin
Taylor – Sweet Taste Of Guitar
Self
Release 2012
10
tracks – 40.18 minutes
This album
came as a real surprise. I saw Melvin many years ago at the now defunct
San Francisco Blues Festival and subsequently bought a couple of his
CDs. Those CDs struck me as OK but lacking in original material, but I
retained fond memories of his live performance. I know that he has
played regularly in Chicago for years and I was expecting some Chicago
blues with a touch of rock. However, this CD (his first for some years)
is not that at all.
First of
all this CD is entirely Melvin who plays all the instruments; second it
is all instrumental; and third we are in jazz rock territory with barely
any blues in sight. Opening track “Back In Action” sets the tone with a
pleasant but repetitive riff played over some routine backing. It sounds
a little like Al Di Meola in the mid-70s but with less going on
musically. Several tracks follow a similar pattern. “Spanish Flavor”
sounds like it should offer something different but is very similar
except that the guitar refrain is played on a Spanish acoustic rather
than an electric guitar.
Three songs
contain the word blues in the title. “Remembering The Blues” has a
pleasant guitar refrain but the background wah-wah effect did nothing
for me. The immediate next track is “So Long Blues” but this one seemed
to differ very little from earlier material. “That’s My Blues” gets the
closest to what I would call blues and is a decent track. The final
track is entitled “Smooth Situation” which sums up the album nicely.
This CD will get some play on smooth jazz stations. Throughout the album
Melvin Taylor demonstrates that he is a clean picker of notes and can
play in a blues and jazz style. I would like to see Melvin return to
real blues; perhaps that will be his next project, having got this one
out of his head..
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
recently enjoyed the Tampa Bay Blues Festival.
For other reviews and interviews on our website
CLICK HERE
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Featured Blues Review 6 of
6
 Colin
Linden – Still live
CrossCut Records
12 tracks – 56.16 minutes
Colin Linden is Canadian by birth but is now resident in the USA. He has
recorded many CDs over the years and has also produced for a variety of
acts well known to the blues fraternity, including Janiva Magness and
Colin James. As well as writing and producing he continues to record and
tour solo, in a small band format and as part of Blackie And The Rodeo
Kings. This CD was recorded live in his adopted home town of Nashville
with a small ensemble: Colin on guitars and vocals, John Dymond on bass
and harmony vocals, Gary Craig on drums and Spooner Oldham on organ.
Apart from a lone cover of Howling Wolf’s “Who’s Been Talking” Colin
wrote all the material either alone or in collaboration: two with his
wife, Janice Powers, two with Jim Weider and one each with Tom Hambridge
and Jim Lauderdale.
The album is beautifully recorded and engineered. The audience is
respectfully silent throughout the music and the applause at the end of
each track is the only reminder that this is a live recording. The
material is generally quiet and thoughtful though there are a couple of
more upbeat tracks where Colin can unleash some strong electric guitar.
“Who’s Been Talking” which features Spooner Oldham’s organ and Colin on
slide is the most obvious blues track but there is plenty to enjoy
throughout the album. “Smoke ‘Em All” is dedicated to Colin’s late
friend, pianist Richard Bell who passed away in 2007. Colin is alone on
this one, a jaunty tribute to his friend “A mighty boy with a left hand
like thunder, right hand like gold – that mighty boy, he’d smoke ‘em
all”. “Remedy” is a rocker with an insistent backbeat, chugging guitar
and highlight organ and makes a nice pairing lyrically with “Dark Night
Of The Soul”. The songs are played in completely different styles but I
found myself linking them: the former is a song about love and desire
whereas the latter comes from the other end of the spectrum, the singer
offering safe passage in troubled times.
“Too Late To Holler” is another bluesy tune with more of Colin’s
distinctive slide guitar and closing track “I Give Up” is a semi-comic
song which recounts how the singer has failed on so many aspects of life
that he is ready to quit altogether! “Sorry about the too much money I
have spent, all the times that I was late with my rent, every dollar
that I turned to 50 cents.” Another track I liked a lot was “Between The
Darkness And The Light Of Day” with its lyric about finding personal
salvation through the power of music. “Sugar Mine” covers salvation in
more traditional manner, namely the sweetness of love. The shimmering
guitar on this track is a real highlight, recalling Ry Cooder in his
prime.
Overall this CD features superb musicianship and lyrics that make you
think (not always the case in the blues!). The music here is more
Americana than blues but it is a CD I can easily recommend. The final
word should go to the US Immigration Service who (according to the
sleevenotes) classed Colin Linden as “an alien of extraordinary ability”
– that says it all, I think.
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 recently enjoyed the
Tampa Bay Blues Festival.
For other reviews and interviews on our website
CLICK HERE
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