CD Review Archives - Page 6 of 23 - Cascade Blues Association Archive

John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers

Live in ’67
Forty Below Records

During the spring of 1967, a 16-year-old Dutch lad, Tom Huissen, followed John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers around London with his single-channel, reel-to-reel tape deck in tow, and managed to capture several of the band’s incendiary gigs in various local London clubs. This rather short-lived edition of The Bluesbreakers — John Mayall on keyboard, vocals, and harp, John McVie on bass, Peter Green on guitar and vocals, and Mick Fleetwood on drums — apparently never recorded in the studio, and according to Pete Frame’s musical genealogy of Fleetwood and McVie, only performed together during April and May of 1967. Fortunately though, Huissen’s remarkable tapes resurfaced and found their way to John Mayall, who’s now released them — and we owe him a huge debt for it.

While obviously far from high fidelity, this disk oozes authenticity. It’s a collection of gut-busting, wall-shattering performances combined with roughly hewed, seat-of-the-pants recordings that reveal a glimpse into the nascent blues scene percolating around the UK during this era. It’s no secret that many British artists from this era cut their musical teeth listening to American blues artists, and in doing so partially enabled the blues resurgence in America. As artifacts of that period, these performances are priceless.

Highlights include a searing rendition of Johnny “Guitar” Watson’s “Looking Back,” (available also on Mayall’s 1969 release Looking Back), and Peter Green’s edgy version of Freddie King’s “The Stumble.” But to call these “highlights” is a bit of a misnomer; all the cuts on this album are worthy of that recognition — they’re simply that good.

Frankly, though, the odd bit about this album is Mick Fleetwood and John McVie. For those of us of a certain vintage, these guys were the ultimate purveyors of laid-back, LA-infused, high-school date music. To hear them here, tearing up these joints like British Dervishes overdosing on Red Bull, causes some dissonance — I guess it’s just the incongruity of thinking about what they’d be up to in ten short years.

But never mind. Fleetwood and McVie’s time with Mayall and this collection of live performances solidifies their place in Cooperstown, and we all ought to be thankful for Mr. Huissen and his magic reel-to-reel tape deck.

1:16:24

All Your Love / Brand New Start / Double Trouble / Streamline / Have You Ever Loved a Woman / Looking Back / So Many Roads / Hi Heel Sneakers / I Can’t Quit You Baby / The Stumble / Someday After Awhile / San-Ho-Zay / Stormy Monday /

John Clifton

CD Review

Let Yourself Go
Rip Cat Records

Does this sound familiar: really cool harmonica player/vocalist from the West Coast who channels those fun times of jumping, swinging romps, and deep Chicago blues? Well, that might almost seem like a dime-a-dozen nowadays, but seldom does it warrant the attention that a musician like Fresno’s John Clifton does. He has been around; he is not a new performer dropped on us out of the blue. Since the 1980s he has been a strong member of the California blues community in the band he co-founded with his brother Bill, MoFo Party Band. They have toured across the country and into Europe numerous times. But Let Yourself Go is John Clifton’s first attempt at a solo disc. Something he put a heavy amount of personal attention to, and it is in one word — dynamic!

It may not hurt to have a strong collection of amazing musicians on hand to help. People like Rusty Zinn, Kid Ramos, Marty Dotson, Mike Turturro, Bob Welsh, and Scott Abeyta to name a handful. But they’re all just a little bit extra to the mix when you give the vocals and harmonica delivery brought by Clifton.

Clifton’s songwriting takes a backseat to nobody. Intense at times and happy-go-lucky at others, John Clifton is a brilliant craftsman at putting together a song. Look at a number like “Garbage Day”: “It’s garbage day baby, woman I’ve just got to put you out / Put you out like a dog in the morning, put you out like the trash at night.” Ouch! Now that’s downright stating it bluntly that this relationship is over.

His delivery comes from all directions. “Every Time You Come Around” is reminiscent of classic 1960’s R&B, while the instrumental “Beer Joint” takes on a standard Chicago blues approach, or “Big Man In A Little Town” could easily be taken for a composition from The Blasters’ songbook. “Would You Understand” is a social commentary aimed to make you think whether or not you’d help somebody in more need than yourself. And “Dig Yourself” is a high-paced piano-harmonica interaction that from back in the day might’ve brought about images of Jerry Lee Lewis or perhaps Ray Charles doing “What’d I Say.” That number cooks! And Bartek Szopinski is highlighted again on “Tell Me Baby” as Rusty Zinn and Bob Welsh sling mighty guitar licks back and forth and Clifton asks, “Tell me baby, where did you go last night, you smell like wine and you’re a dreadful sight.”

John Clifton may not be a name that instantly leaps to mind like many of the West Coast blues scene harmonica players, but maybe it’s time it should be as he is right there with the best. And Let Yourself Go is filled with all the heavy blowing and swinging playing that makes for the finest blues originating from this part of the country.

Total Time: 51:54

Let Yourself Go / The Gamble / Beer Joint / Would You Understand / Big John From Mississippi / Anytime Is Cool / Dig Yourself / Have Your Way Baby / Buddy Buddy Friends / Garbage Day / Tell Me Baby / Every Time You Come Around / Big Man In A Little

James Harman

CD Review

Bonetime
Electro-Fi

Hey, just in case nobody has informed you yet, James Harman is a flat out cool dude. Not only that, he’s a hell of a great songwriter and performer, too. Yeah, I can hear all of those who know James or have seen him before, “Tell us something we don’t know Captain Obvious.” Well, for those less initiated with the works of James Harman, let me say that this newest release of his, Bonetime, ranks right alongside his very best and would be a good place for you to start getting to know this terrific artist. And if you look at his picture inside the sleeve, you may think this guy is odd — dressed up like some kind of wizard or headhunter king on a throne. But Harman is like that old Honey Badger, he just doesn’t give a **** what you think. It still doesn’t take away that his music and presentation is the epitome of blues cool today.

But let all of that slip by and just sit back and give this man’s record a listen. It’s laid-back with that ease he has been providing fans on the West Coast and around the world for a few decades now. The tracks here have all been thought out over some time, too. He states in the liner notes that these original numbers were selected from over 150 unfinished songs. 150! Now that is quite prolific. And they’re all about the human condition he explains, because when it comes to blues, you should be writing about what you know, and believe me, Harman knows a lot.

There is often a lot of humor in his music. Here he sings about his “Big Boned Gal,” somebody with “Bad Feet/Bad Hair,” a “Blue Stretchmark Tattoo,” and all about how he just may be “The World’s Badluckest Man.” Yet he can take it all down home, too. Listen to the mood laid out on “Coldfront Woman” with rolling piano and guitar speaking the right phrases as Harman delivers his tale of woes brought on by that woman who did him wrong.

Oh yeah, James has a good many friends that dropped by over time to help him put these tracks together, too. Guitar players like Nathan James, Kirk Fletcher, Junior Watson and Kid Ramos, keyboardists Gene Taylor and Sonny Leyland, even Candye Kane steps in to add her voice to a couple numbers.

You know if you’re in a vehicle riding alongside him at a high rate of speed and he just kicked back taking his hands off the steering wheel, there’s nothing to worry about. He’s got this. You’re in good hands. And that’s how you need to approach anything that James Harman puts on disc. You know it’s going to be cool even before you hit play. Just take my word for it.

So don’t you just think it’s about Bonetime? You should! I have already said it, James Harman is cool and so is Bonetime. Check it out yourself.

Total Time: 51:41

Bonetime / (I Am) The World’s Badluckest Man / Ain’t It Crazy / Coldfront Woman / Big Boned Gal / Bad Feet/Bad Hair / Just A Game Goin’ On / Blue Stretchmark Tattoo / Yo’ Family (Don’t Like Me) / Leavin’ Fire / Skirt / The Clock Is Tickin’

DL Duncan

CD Review

D.L. Duncan
15 South Records

Nashville’s Dave Duncan, simply known as DL Duncan on this self-titled, self-produced recording, has been a songwriter of well-respected merit for a number of years. With a sound that fits nicely within that musical niche surrounded roots, America, and the blues, he has written highly acclaimed songs for country artists like Lorrie Morgan and Buddy Jewell and has worked with the Goose Creek Symphony, Jimmy Nalls, and Stan Street. He has also had a lengthy song-writing collaboration with Curtis Salgado and has reaped two Blues Music Award nominations for song of the year with “20 Years of BB King” and “She Didn’t Cut Me Loose.”

The strength of Duncan’s songwriting clearly shines through on this recording, with eight of the tracks written or co-penned by him. He reunites with Salgado on one, “I Know A Good Thing” and Mark Robinson co-wrote the fiery guitar number “Dickerson Road.” There is plenty of humor to be found in the opening tune, “I Ain’t The Sharpest Marble.” The clever title alone should tell you that fact, but it’s full of funny insights such as “If you want a man with ambition, you might as well count me out.” And he can fill you with his down-felt sorrow with mournful slide guitar on “St. Valentine’s Day Blues,” relating how alone he gets to feeling each February.

Throughout the album the instrumentation is high caliber. It doesn’t hurt when your supporting cast includes heavy hitters like Delbert McClinton on harmonica, Sonny Landreth on slide guitar, Muscle Shoals’ house bassist David Hood, keyboard dynamo Kevin McKendree and Nashville’s premier vocalists The McCrary Sisters. And amongst all that, Duncan superbly plays a variety of both electric and acoustic guitars.

The album closes with a beautiful take on Craig Wiseman’s “All I Have To Offer You Is Love,” one of only two covers on the disc. His vocals are soft and touching with exceptional accompaniment by David Pinkston on pedal steel guitar. It is the perfect nightcap to an album filled with fantastic, memorable songs and perfect presentation. Start to end, this is one fine collection of music.

Total Time: 41:05

I Ain’t The Sharpest Marble / Dickerson Road / You Just Don’t Never Know / Your Own Best Friend / I Know A Good Thing / Sending Me Angels / Orange Beach Blues / St. Valentine’s Day Blues / Sweet Magnolia Love / All I Have To Offer You Is Love

Colin Lake

CD Review

One Thing That’s For Sure
Louisiana Red Hot Records

Colin Lake may have planted his musical style in Portland, but he has certainly had the fruit of his craft ripen since moving to New Orleans. He has started taking that city’s blues and roots scene to another level with his tastefully crafted lyrics and melodic guitar playing. His latest release, One Thing That’s For Sure, has recently been nominated by Offbeat magazine for blues album of the year, while Lake has also been placed on the ballot for vocalist and guitarist, and the song “The World Alive” has a nod for music video.

One Thing That’s For Sure continues with Lake’s knack for creating astounding wordplay. The music moves between rocking tracks (“Pay The Price”), psychedelic (“I’m Trying To Tell You”), easy-going pop (“The World Alive”) or bluesy instrumental (“La Madrugada”), and every number is an original composition. And the lyrics are complex storylines that often detail relationships whether exalting pure joy or getting through the lows as in “If It Ain’t For You” (“I’m sorry for every little thing I do.”).

Guest artists on this disc include North Mississippi All Star guitarist Luther Dickinson, saxophonist Jimmy Carpenter, percussionist Eric Heigle who also handled production duties, and backing vocals from Sasha Masakowski, singer/actress Topsy Chapman and Maggie Koerner from Galactic.

Colin Lake’s musical progression is steadily improving with each and every release. One Thing That’s For Sure is an infective collection of downright musical fun. It’ll make you want to stand up and dance to its ever-pleasing grooves.

Total Time: 52:52

One Thing That’s For Sure / She’s Mine / The World Alive / I’m Trying To Tell You / A Quiet Mind / La Madrugada / Pay The Price / Ninety-Nine Miles / Just Begun / If It Ain’t For You / Lonesome For The West

Charlie Musselwhite

CD Review

I Ain’t Lyin’
Henrietta Records

Charlie Musselwhite CD cover

Charlie Musselwhite has released another live recording following in the footsteps of his 2012 album Juke Joint Chapel, which brought him a Grammy nomination. Recorded at two festivals, Valley of the Moon Vintage Festival in Sonoma, California and the Clarksdale Soundstage in Mississippi, I Ain’t Lyin’ is another strong outing that finds Musselwhite and his band in prime performance shape.

The band here is almost the same as on his 2012 release, with June Core helming the skins and Matthew Stubbs on guitar. The newest part of this band is bass player Steve Froberg. This is a splendid mix where none of the parts overshadow anybody else. Musselwhite remains forefront with his harmonica and voice, but each of the players are key cogs to this unit and it shows.

Musselwhite wrote all but two of the selections and many are prime numbers that have been favorites of his followers for many years. The cover tracks are Elmore James’ “Done Somebody Wrong” and Duke Pearson’s “Cristo Redentor.” The latter is just about a standard for Musselwhite and has appeared on several of his releases over the years going all the way back to his break-out release Stand Back! It’d be hard to imagine a Charlie Musselwhite appearance without this song being played. And once again he proves its worth.

Of the originals, you will definitely find many of his best and most loved titles from his fifty-plus-year career. They include greats like “If I Should Have Bad Luck,” “Long Lean Lanky Mama” and “Blues, Why Do You Bother Me?”

Charlie Musselwhite has proven over time that he is one of the all-time premier voices behind a blues harmonica. No need to compare him with the Sonny Boys or Walters (Big and Little) as he has carved his own niche with his blues hall of fame and his influence on future players will just as long lasting. One thing he’ll bring to the table in live presentations is everything that is good in the blues today and as he’d tell you himself from the stage, “I Ain’t Lyin’!”

Total Time: 57:43

Good Blues Tonight / Done Somebody Wrong / Long Lean Lanky Mama / Always Been Your Friend / If I Should Have Bad Luck / My Kinda Gal / Blues, Why Do You Worry Me? / 300 Miles To Go / Long Leg Woman / Cristo Redentor / Good Blues Tonight (unedited)

Chris Yakopcic

CD Review

The Next Place I Leave
Yako Records

Chris Yakopcic CD cover

If you’re a fan of acoustic guitar, then Chris Yakopcic is definitely an artist you should look up. This Dayton, Ohio-based player has a true knack for working in both fingerpicking and slide styles and has proclaimed that he has been heavily influenced by past greats like Big Bill Broonzy and Robert Johnson, who as a solo artists were able to hold an audience’s attention with just their guitar and voice. This is something that Yakopcic accomplishes quite well himself, as a multiple winner of regional competitions for the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, including making the finals in 2015.

On his sophomore release, The Next Place I Leave, Yakopcic is joined by drummer Brian Hoeflich and bassist Leo Smith. But though he has accompaniment, it is his guitar playing that stands out front and center. Recorded at the famed Ardent Studios in Memphis, Yakopcic showcases his string work and songwriting abilities as he flies across the frets on exceptional original material paired perfectly with a handful of covers from Robert Johnson, Fred McDowell and a standout take of Leonard Cohen’s “Tower Of Song” that sounds as if it came directly from the mountains of Appalachia.

Yakopcic is musician who yearns to hit the road and play. He details his journeys with “Sounds Of The Highway” stating that he’d much rather be moving down the roadside than sitting in one place growing old. The theme continues with “The Next Place I Leave” where he recounts that though he has been to a lot of places, including meeting the devil at the crossroads, it is still just one more place along the way before heading off to find something new. Only a man who is completely in love with his instrument and the history of the music can display guitar playing in such a fine manner. It’s deftly charted and performed on a pair of apparently autobiographical selections, “Smallman Street” and the closing number “My Last Three Strings.”

Chris Yakopcic may have a nice hold on the blues fans in Ohio and Pennsylvania as an acoustic artist of high merit, but give The Next Place I Leave a full-focused listen and you’ll most likely be in agreement with them. This one does warrant that listen.

Total Time: 40:49

The Next Place I Leave / Preachin’ Blues / Sweet Time Blues / Smallman Street / Phonograph Blues / Sounds Of The Highway / Write Me A Few Lines / Tower Of Song / Time To Go / Addicted / My Last Three Strings

Billy The Kid & The Regulators

2016 January, CD Review

Billy The Kid and The Regulators CD cover

I Can’t Change
Self Produced

While working at the International Blues Challenge over the years, there have been a number of acts that have truly stood out and garnered my attention on the finals stage. Billy The Kid & The Regulators is certainly one of those. So when I received a copy of their latest recording, I Can’t Change, I immediately popped that disc into my player and was instantly reminded of what made this band so special in my mind from their performance. This six-piece outfit hailing from Pittsburgh is led by triple threat Billy Evanochko, a powerful guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. The Steel Town Horns add an additional punch to the band’s sound on a trio of tracks, and guests including harmonica ace Jason Ricci, vocalist Yolanda Barber, guitarists Sean Carney, Damon Fowler (who also produced the disc), and young Micah Kesselring.

The songs included on I Can’t Change are quite memorable. Along with Evanochko, band members Jon Vallecorsa and James Dougherty also were involved with penning a number of the tracks. Excellent covers of Jimmy Reed’s “Can’t Stand To See You Go,” Bernard Roth’s “Who” and especially Robert Johnson’s “Me And The Devil Blues” stand out, and the latter featuring strong acoustic playing from both Ricci and Kesselring alongside Evancohko’s easy going singing. It certainly draws a picture of Southern living that is quite inviting. Of course I have always been drawn to the slow blues, so “Slender Man Blues” hits me right in the core. But the originals truly shine throughout. There is perhaps no let down throughout the entire disc when it comes to musical presentation and lyrics. And whether humorous, like “That Darn Cat,” or punchy like “Saturday Night” and “Ain’t Gotta Prove Nothing,” you pay attention every step of the way. And the one track I keep returning to over and over is “What Are We Fighting For,” as Evanochko ponders just what is going on between him and his partner.

From soulful and funky to outright rockin’, this is an album that can appeal to many tastes — all of them pleasing and full of flavor. Very much recommended if you want to hear an artist that deserves attention. Onstage or on disc, Billy The Kid & The Regulators is worth checking out and with strong releases such as I Can’t Change it should be a sure bet that we’re going to be hearing a lot more from this band for some time to come!

Total Time: 40:18

I Can’t Change / Ain’t Gotta Prove Nothing / What Are We Fighting For / Story of The Blues / Who / That Darn Cat / Slender Man Blues / Can’t Stand To See You Go / Saturday Night / Me And The Devil Blues

Bey Paule Band

2016 January, CD Review

Not Goin’ Away
Blue Dot Records

The Bey Paule Band offers one tight, eight-piece band featuring a number of musicians who have worked with some of the best, including Bey and Paule, with keyboardist Tony Lufrano (Boz Scaggs), bassist Paul Olguin (Elvin Bishop), drummer Paul Revelli (Joe Louis Walker), saxophonist Nancy Wright (Elvin Bishop), and trumpeters Tom Poole (Tommy Castro) and Mike Rinta (Tommy Castro). The disc was produced by Paule, Revelli along with Christine Vitale and Kid Anderson who also adds his own guitar work on a couple of numbers.

The album opens strongly with an autobiographical piece about Frank Bey titled “Black Bottom” that guides you through his falling in love with music while listening to Southern radio stations, followed by the encounters with musicians that led to his own career performing. But as he states, he is still that same kid from Black Bottom singing the blues with a lot of soul.

Follow that number up with “Kiss Like You Mean It” with the powerful horn section and organ from Lufrano driving the track that seems to invoke the spirit of Otis Redding from within Bey where he states, “you got to, got to, got to hold me tight, don’t let me go, don’t turn me loose . . . “ Or maybe it’s Solomon Burke or Sam Cooke he’s after as he pleads soulfully for his love knowing he’s hurt her and he’ll always hold her words “Next To My Heart.” His sorrow continues in the song “Don’t Ask Me How I Feel.” If you ask he just might break down in tears. You can feel his sadness in his delivery, and Paule’s guitar stresses it even more.

There is no losing track to be found on this fine album. Everybody in the band is spot on fantastic with their playing, clearly stated on the instrumental piece “Noel’s Haze.” And all of the numbers are originals save for two covers that are presented with utmost attention that shines perfectly: Candi Staton’s “Someone You Use,” and the closing selection “If I Could Reach Out” a feel-good number originally recorded by Otis Clay.

In a year that has seen a lot of excellent soul blues recordings, Not Goin’ Away stands out highly. The Bey Paule Band hits it home here and once you listen to this album you’re going to be playing consistently for some time to come. Yes, it’s definitely a keeper.

Total Time: 50:44

Black Bottom / Kiss Me Like You Mean It / Right In Front Of You / Next To My Heart / Someone You Use / This Party’s Done / Nobody’s Angel / Not Goin’ Away / Ballad Of The Lover Man / Noel’s Haze / Don’t Ask Me How I Feel / If I Could Reach Out

Fantastic Negrito

2016 January, CD Review

Fantastic Negrito (Deluxe Edition)
Blackball Universe

When I first began listening to Fantastic Negrito disc, I felt that I was hearing the sounds of a performer from Mali or one of the other musically rich regions of Western Africa. It had that raw feel to it that helped spawn the music that would come to America and give birth to the blues — very intense. Kind of the same feeling I had when I first started to hear the music of the hill country of Northern Mississippi. It is music that is filled with passion and perhaps a dark pain that can only be reflected through song. The more that I listened to it the more hypnotized I became and had to dig deeper into the person behind it as there was no liner notes to give me details about just who this Fantastic Negrito really was.

What I found surprised me. Fantastic Negrito is the moniker taken by Xavier Dphrepaulezz, who grew up in Massachusetts and had moved to Oakland in 1979. Fascinated by the music of Prince, he took up playing piano and caught the ears of a major label who in turn signed him to a million dollar contract, releasing a studio album titled X Factor. The music was derived from what he had heard through Prince mixed with soul and hip hop. He was sitting on top of the world, and then it all caved in around him as a car accident in 1999 placed him into a coma for three weeks and he awoke to mangled hands and arms and the deal with the label was gone. Worse yet, he did not know whether he would ever be able to create music again.

But the drive to succeed never left him and he discovered something in the sounds of the Delta blues that touched him. Combining his soulful background, he developed his own musical style that spoke to him as the continuation of black musical culture in America. Something that he often refers to as “blues with a punk attitude.” He literally took those sounds to the streets of Oakland, busking and playing wherever possible. He caught the attention of NPR through their Tiny Desktop Concert contest amongst around 7000 entries and has been on an upward surge since, even performing at SXSW and gaining rave responses.

The self-titled seven-song EP Fantastic Negrito is filled with personal expressions. Percussive hand clapping make the flow of the disc feel authentic to the music of the past, as does the often mournful moans. But it digs between the intensity of the themes behind the lyrics and comes out from the start like field hollers that by the end of the disc becomes very soulful and even funky. This is modern blues with a direct link to the roots, though it may be sitting more on the modern edge of today’s music. It’s definitely interesting and inspiring.

Total time: 26:22

Lost In a Crowd / She Don’t Cry No More / An Honest Man / Night Has Turned To Day / The Time Has Come / A Long Long Road / A New Beginning