No Fluff, Just The Stuff
E Natchel Records

What do James Cotton, Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater, John Primer, Carey Bell, Phil Guy, Hubert Sumlin, LV Banks and AC Reed all have in common? Well, other than being a who’s who of the Chicago blues scene for the past several decades, every one of these artists have sought out the talents of Tom Holland. The ultimate go-to guy in Chicago when it comes to filling in the needs of tasty, tuneful guitar, who somehow while seemingly playing on the road and working endlessly with others has managed to find the time to lay down original material of his own. Those aforementioned artists may be the old school of Chicago blues, but Tom Holland is standing at the head of his class for the new school sound. And it does not stray far as this young cat knows his history regarding the city’s traditional blues and aims to keep it front and center.

No Fluff, Just The Stuff is Holland’s second release with his band The Shuffle Kings. There was definitely a long gap between the two discs, about eleven years to be exact. But over the 15 years or so he has been offering his guitar work amongst the Windy City elite, he has always kept this group intact. The man knows how to keep himself busy, and that in itself is an understatement.

When it comes to traditional Chicago blues, Holland would have it no other way. He breathes and bleeds the music. All of the tracks on No Fluff, Just The Stuff are Holland originals, but there is heavy influence present throughout the songs that you can recognize the direct line from Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers, John Primer and without doubt James Cotton. And there is no overplayed guitar here either. He says what he needs to on the strings and nothing more. Exactly as it should be. The rhythm section of Mike Scharf on bass and Tino Cortes on drums provide the perfect backdrop for Holland’s bluesy guitar lines. And harp player Big D lays down notes that sound as if they came directly from Cotton himself, perhaps what Holland had in mind to begin with. That’s not to take anything away from Big D, an amazing harmonica player for sure! Guests on the disc include piano player Marty Sammon on four tracks and mentor John Primer on two.

Selecting highlights from this album is like telling somebody who your favorite child is; you love them all. But if I were to select a handful today, which could very well be a completely different thought tomorrow, I would point out the great opening shuffle “The Other Shoe To Drop,” the soulful “Easiest Thing I’ll Ever Do,” the Otis Rush feel in the slow blues “Hardest Part Of Loving You,” or maybe the instrumental “Hey Pardner!” where Holland sounds like he’s channeling Hubert Sumlin. This is just a flat out great album by one of today’s finest guitarists. Aptly titled, No Fluff, Just The Stuff is exactly that and I cannot say we couldn’t ask for anything more, because we do want more from Tom Holland when it comes to music like this. Outstanding? Oh yeah, and then some.

Total Time: 43:27

Waiting On The Other Shoe To Drop / Long Road To Tomorrow / Hurry Up & Wait / Easiest Thing I’ll Ever Do / Hey Pardner! / More Things Change / Shuffle King Boogie / Hardest Part Of Loving You / Look Here Baby / No Fluff, Just The Stuff

Long Road To Nowhere
Self Produced

Portland-based guitarist Justin James Bridges is like a modern day political songster seeking reform in the treatment of the people. Think of the music of Richie Havens, singing solo armed with only an electric guitar and you’ll have a good conceptof Bridges’ music. Injured by police in the Occupy Portland movement while working as a sign language interpreter and now forced to live in a wheelchair, Long Road to Nowhere is one of three recordings he released during 2013 and it is filled with social advocacy for people’s rights and also, as on his second disc, the legalization of marijuana use.

The music is pretty basic and straight forward, influenced by the blues he heard growing up in Texas as well as the music of Jimi Hendrix and Muddy Waters. Melodic guitar lines with sharp and biting fretwork and singing, even his vocal stylings may remind you of somebody like Havens in their delivery. All selections are done completely without accompaniment, with the sole exception being “Left My Baby Down In Texas” where he is joined by vocalist Laura Ivancie.

There is no mistaking his aim in his messages, calling for people to stand up and take a stand in society in tracks like “Realize,” “Tryin’” or “Boys In Blue.” After all, he does have a personal stake behind his lyrics and those feelings have a no holds barred approach.  But it is not totally a political album. Ten original tunes that will make you think while telling his own story about his stance and his past. Soul-baring and hard-hitting, Justin James Bridges is a modern day troubadour who would’ve been at home singing in a New York or San Francisco smoke-filled coffee house of the 1960s alongside the beatniks, poets and activists of the time. But in reality, is the message any different today? Musicians have always held a position of delivering the call for reform of the times and Bridges places himself square in the middle of being the message bearer of today. A thought brought home succinctly in his lyrics to “Long Road To Nowhere”: “You can listen to me if you want to/ You know I got some stories to tell / Believe it or not, this life that I’m livin’ / It may not seem like much, but it suits me so well.”

Total Time: 34:50

‘Til The Moon Goes Down / Sing For Me / Realize / Tryin’ / Magical Ride / Left My Baby Down In Texas / Boys In Blue / Long Road To Nowhere / Why It Ended So / Devil Ain’t Got Shit On Me

Various Artists
Pro-Arts Productions

Eugene, Oregon has long held a wealth of history and talent when it comes to the blues. The Northwest’s first blues society originated here and musicians such as Curtis Salgado, Robert Cray, David Jacobs-Strain, Henry Vestine, Bill Rhoades, DK Stewart, Watermelon Slim and many others cut their teeth establishing the city’s music scene. That original blues society may be long gone, with the Rainy Day Blues Society picking up within the last decade, but there are still an impressive number of artists calling the city home. Recordings like Blues From Eugene: An Eclectic Collection,Volume 1 serve a great purpose in bringing to light just how rich and diverse the talent runs that people elsewhere may be unaware of.

Artists that many within the Northwest are familiar with are well represented here: Hank Shreve, Joanne Broh, Barbara Healy, Paul Biondi, Walker T. Ryan, Henry Cooper, Al Smith and Jerry Zybach among them. And you could not have a retrospective of the Eugene blues community without including its patriarch Eagle Park Slim. But this is a great introduction to those perhaps a little less known or just flat out deserving more attention like Lynda Duffy, Steve Ibach, Lloyd Tolbert or Dennis Smith. The music spans various styles, all well done and nicely produced by Anthony Proveaux and Jerry Zybach. All tracks were recorded at Pro-Arts Recording Studio, mostly done live which adds to the overall pleasing results.

Like any compilation of a region’s music collective, it is nearly impossible to include everybody in a single disc. Eugene remains a great haven for the blues today and this impressive sampling is worth checking out, with great hopes that a volume 2 will be on the horizon as well.

Total Time: 76:06

Real Kinda Thing / I Don’t Play / Rendezvous With The Blues / Bumble Bee / Long Train Rollin’ / Don’t Go / Walkin’ Uptown / Night Time Is The Right Time / St. Louis Blues / Tried To Keep Her / Farewell Mr. Fahey / Le Moulin Bleu / Black Cat At Midnight / Movin’ Along / Boogie Boss / 390 Blues / Blues & Trouble / Any Way You Want It / It’s Alright /  Hello Jesus / Goin’ Back To Eugene

Live At Knuckleheads
Blue Star Connection

This has been a recording that has intrigued me since I first heard of its release nearly a year ago now. It has been something I have wanted to hear for a long time and finally the longing became unbearable and I broke down and made the purchase on-line. After all, what is not appealing about a live performance featuring luminaries like former Wet Willie frontman Jimmy Hall, former Stevie Ray Vaughan keyboardist Reese Wynans, Trampled Under Foot’s Danielle and Kris Schnebelen, and the double guitar mastery of Kate Moss and Samantha Fish collectively called The Healers? Put them all together in Kansas City’s famed Knuckleheads and you know you’re in for something special.

The night was recorded and released as a combo CD-DVD package, with ten numbers featured on both, then an extra two on the DVD. Jimmy Hall presides on vocals on the majority of the tracks and also blows some killer saxophone and harmonica. Of the twelve selections, all but two are all known cover tunes previously handled by the likes of Muddy Waters, Albert King, James Brown, Little Milton, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins and more. The exceptions are Danielle Schnebelen taking the lead on “Love My Baby,” a Trampled Under Foot staple, and Jimmy Hall reprising his Wet Willie classic “Keep On Smilin’.”

The CD opens and closes with Freddie King pieces, “San-H-Zay” leading things off instrumentally and Jimmy Hall and Reese Wynans tearing things up on “Goin’ Down” to finish things off. In between there are numerous highlights for certain. Danielle and Samantha Fish take strong advantage when given the opportunity to take the mic. And on the cover of James Brown’s “This Is A Man’s World,” everybody shines brightly taking the spotlight while Danielle and Jimmy exchange vocals. For a live recording in a club, the sound quality is outstanding, and so is the video.

I said earlier that this is something special, and perhaps the most special aspect of this concert and the CD-DVD packaging is that it benefits the Blue Star Connection. That group originally founded by Colorado’s Grand County Blues Society, helps to put musical instruments into the hands of medically-fragile children and young adults with cancer and other serious challenges. To date, the Blue Star Connection has reached over 100 recipients from around the country and as far as India, and has worked with 22 music therapists in childrens hospitals. In 2014, the Blue Star Connection will be honored with a Keeping The Blues Alive award from The Blues Foundation. All of the artists involved with this recording are deeply involved with the organization and such events have been held in various locations in Colorado and across the country with people like Royal Southern Brotherhood, Ana Popovic, Curtis Salgado, Paul Thorn, Austin Young and Israel’s The Ori Naftaly Band.

To read more about the Blue Star Connection, go to bluestarconnection.org.

Total Time: 1:20:39 (CD) 1:35:59 (DVD)

San-Ho-Zay / Grits Ain’t Groceries / Messin’ With The Kid / Rollin’ & Tumblin’ / As The Years Go Passing By / Got My Mojo Working / Love My Baby / This Is A Man’s World / Keep On Smilin’ / Goin’ Down / I Still Want To Be Your Man (DVD only) / I Put A Spell On You (DVD only)