Andrew Duncanson (featuring Michael Peloquin) – California Trap
Run It Back Records – 2025
www.andrewduncanson.com
13 tracks; 52 minutes
When Champaign, Illinois native sons Andrew Duncanson and Michael Peloquin reunited on the 2019 Blues Cruise they realised that their musical styles might work well together. Andrew is the vocalist/guitarist for The Kilborn Alley Blues Band and The Dig 3, both based in Illinois, while Michael moved to the Bay Area where he was a first call sax player in both jazz and blues for forty years (he has recently returned to the Midwest). On that 2019 cruise Andrew was singing with Mike Welch following the tragic death of Mike Ledbetter and Michael was knocked out by his soulful voice, suggesting that they should make a record together at Kid Andersen’s Greaseland studio. Fast forward to 2022 and the first session, Andrew arriving with a bunch of new songs, Kid and the Greaseland All Stars ready to make those songs into something special. With horn arrangements by Michael, eight songs were recorded in two days, Andrew returning a month later to complete the album. There are eight new originals from Andrew, plus two Kilborn Alley tunes re-worked, one written by Michael and two covers. The band consists of a rhythm section of Derrick ‘D’Mar’ Martin on drums and Jerry Jemmott on bass, Jim Pugh and Baxter Robertson on the keys and Kid Andersen on guitar throughout as well as filling in wherever needed across a huge range of instruments. Andrew sings on all tracks and plays guitar on five: the horn section is Michael on sax and harmonica, Mike Rinta on trombone, Mike Rose or Ed Morrison on trumpet and Doug Rowan on baritone sax; background vocals on five tracks are by Tia Carroll, Lara Price and Lisa Leuschner-Andersen, plus The Sons Of The Soul Revivers on one further cut; Paul Revelli replaces D’Mar on drums on one track. The album was co-produced by Michael and Kid.
Andrew’s eight new songs kick off with “Relearning To Climb” which places his soulful vocals front and center, beautifully framed by the backing vocals and warm horns while “Naw Naw Naw” is outstanding (despite the odd title), a catchy tune with a singalong chorus and Michael’s tenor strongly featured. “Hold Me Back” has Michael’s harp over tenor/baritone saxes, another soulful tune which harks back to the glory days of acts like Sam & Dave, before the title track, “California Trap” slows things down for a blues in which Andrew suspects that, after all, California may just not be for him, despite the sunshine and outward appearance: “Can’t find a job, can’t find a place to stay, but I got California sun on my face all day”. Kid plays some tough guitar, the horns setting a low backing of trombone and bari sax, Baxter Robertson playing some great blues piano too. “Outer Space” has some appropriately spacey sounds from a variety of strange instruments played by Kid and Michael and “Feelin’ Better Now” is perhaps the bluesiest cut (with something of a debt to Big Bill Broonzy), a stripped-back number with harp, piano and Andrew’s guitar. The full horn section reappears on the dramatic “Next Life”, full of lyrical flourishes like “blood and tears on the guitar frets”, Andrew really emoting about what purpose his life holds, and what the next one may bring.“More Lows Than Highs” and its chorus of “sure as shit, and houseflies, there’s more lows, more lows than highs” is lyrically pessimistic but a super rocking tune with the saxes to the fore and Andrew taking a short, sharp guitar solo.
The title track of the Kilborns’ 2010 album Better Off Now was always a soulful tune but with the addition of the full horn section it becomes almost anthemic, making a great end to this album. “Town Saint” was originally on The Tolono Tapes in 2017; here it has the swagger of a funky New Orleans tune with the horns, including a fine trombone solo. Michael wrote “What Kind Of Man”, a ballad about redemption, the central character getting himself out of the hole he is in, finally becoming the man that his woman deserves.
There are two covers. Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” will be familiar to everyone, but this is a very different take on it with a funky backbeat and female backing vocals, but it works, mainly because of Andrew’s great vocals. Mighty Mike Schermer’s 2015 song “It’s A Pleasure” has Kid playing everything except drums and harp and The Sons Of The Soul Revivers adding their gospel harmonies to a warm song with a lovely chorus: “No matter where this road may end it’s a pleasure to call you my friend”.
Overall this is a very impressive album that deserves to do well. Watch out for it in those end of the year awards lists, not least the Blues Blast Music Awards!
