Blues Wanderings 

We made it to the Prairie Crossroads Blues Fest last weekend. Some of the artists we got to hear were Demetria Taylor, Lucious Spiller, Brandon Santini and Laurie Morvan. A great time with good Blues and friends!

 Blues Blast Music Awards Tickets 

Tickets for the Blues Blast Music Awards show on September 13, 2019 in Rockford, Illinois are on sale. Artists coming to perform include Teeny Tucker, Fiona Boyes, Dawn Tyler Watson, Bob Corritore Review with Oscar Wilson and Taildragger, Doug Deming and the Jewel Tones, Mary Lane, Catfish Keith, Mighty Mike Schermer, Alastair Greene, Whitney Shay, Ben Rice, Robert Frank and Katie Henry. The presale price is $35 and $45 at the door. Save money by getting your tickets NOW HERE!

This video features John Primer and The Real Deal Blues Band with Steve Bell performing “I Called My Baby” at Don Odells Legends.

John Primer and The Real Deal Blues Band and Steve Bell are performing at the Crossroads Blues Festival on Saturday, August 24th, 2019.

For tickets and info on this Blues event visit www.crossroadsbluesfestival.com or click on their ad in this issue!

Her first appearance on the blues charts was a cover of Big Mama Thornton’s “Ball and Chain” in 1989. “I always liked that song,” says Trudy Lynn. “I heard it when I was much younger, and it was one of those songs that stayed with me. I’ve never met her one on one. I’ve seen her, but I’ve never met her one on one. When I was young, I used to see her walking down the street, and my parents would tell me who she was, you know? But I never met her and talked to her.”

Trudy Lynn’s musical roots go back to Houston club work in the ’60s. She has slowly and steadily built a solid career working with some of Houston’s best blues, R&B and soul musicians ranging from Albert Collins to I. J. Gosey and Clarence Green.

In her 72 years of life, she’s released 13 studio albums, one live album, and four compilation albums and started her career at the age of 20. Her vocal delivery harkens back to the raw but right shouters of early blues recording sometimes with a big R&B backing, sometimes with a straight electric blues in the Albert Collins tradition. And occasionally with a country cover like Hoyt Axton’s “Never Been to Spain” on her most recent album Blues Keep Knockin’. That album garnered three nominations for the Living Blues Magazine Awards.

In the liner notes she says, “I want to thank all my blues fans new and old, or should I say ‘mature,’ for being with me through my journey with the blues, both near and far. My name is Trudy Lynn, and I sing the blues for you, some old, some new and some borrowed, too. I love singing the blues! The blues knocks on my door, on my window and my heart. I must sing and I sing only what I feel and I sing to make you feel exactly what I feel!”

She was born Lee Audrey Nelms in the Fifth Ward. Her mother ran a beauty shop close to the Club Matinee that featured performers like Bobby “Blue” Bland and Ivory Joe Hunter, but she never could get closer than the back door of the club as a kid. She sang in a vocal ensemble at Wheatley High School, and her first break came as a teen when Albert Collins – playing with Big Tiny and the Thunderbirds – invited her onto the bandstand at Walter’s Lounge on Lockwood. She sang “Night Time Is the Right Time.” “He was just getting off on his own. He was much younger then. So, when he did that song “The Freeze” that just shot him up out of here where he just starting going overseas traveling a lot doing shows out there in the chitlin circuit.

“When I was a kid, between my brothers, my sisters, my dad and I, I would always hear blues music all the time. So, it was just in me to do the blues, you know. I came up, and there was a lot of soul music on the radio and a lot of doo wop, rock and roll, Elvis Presley, people like that. I heard all of that, and I heard a lot of group singing when I was much younger in high school. When I came out with Clarence Green, we were doing mostly soul music and a little blues: “Night Time Is The Right Time” and “You got me running, you got me hiding.” What was that, Jimmy Reed?

“I was (listening) to Albert Collins when I was much younger. I think I was a young girl about 15 or 16, and they would have like a Sunday matinee where they’d have an Albert Collings and Big Tiny in a local club. I remember when he recorded his first hit, “The Freeze.” I’ll never forget I was a young girl when that song came out, and then he recorded a song called “Defrost.” It was about ice. I remember the song.

“I’ve been in so many different categories. I’ve been in categories that took in soul, blues, and they put me in traditional. I’ve always – I did country music. I could do it all, but I feel you could be versatile and do a lot of different styles, but I feel like you have to take one and master one if you want to be heard. And I just like blues. I was raised up with the blues and I like blues. I love blues.”

One has to wonder if Houston had done as much to promote its contribution to the blues genre as Chicago, Memphis, and the Delta, would Trudy Lynn be as high profile today as Koko Taylor was to Chicago, Irma Thomas is to New Orleans, and Mavis Staples is to Memphis? “That’s right,” she says. “First lady of the blues right here in Houston. We’ve got a lot of blues artists out of Houston, and I don’t think they get the just dues they should have, ’cause there’s a lot of musicians that are out of Houston.”

One of the most notorious Houston music industry personalities was Don Roby who owned Duke/Peacock Records. Trudy remembers him from the early ’60s. “I was young. I remember doing a recording there. My husband did some recordings there, and there were different artists. And I did get a chance to meet him and talk to him. I did get a chance to do that because I was born and raised near that studio.”

Was he as bad a guy as everyone give him credit for?

“Bad a guy? No.”

He has a nasty reputation for the way he treated his artists.

“Yeah, I read about that. He was stern. He was stern, but when I met him, he was nice to me. I can remember a time when there used to beat on Bobby Blue Bland and on Willie May (Big Mama) Thornton, you know. He was stern, but so far as being a witness to it, no, I wasn’t. I just heard talk that he was a stern man, you know.”

Much of Trudy’s early experience was with stalwart Houston musicians I.J. Gosey who had been with Hank Ballard and the Midnighters and Clarence Green. “(Gosey) was a super cat. When I first met him, he was playing with a (band) out of Houston called The Joy Boys. They were real popular here in Houston, and I met him and sang on a few blues songs. He was the one who turned me onto Clarence Green, and Clarence Green was the one I was with the longest here in Houston working with the band. I worked with a lot of ’em, but Clarence was the one who really molded me.”

Trudy sang in Clarence Green’s Rhythmaires, her first professional gig after high school. “I graduated from high school in ’65, and I got offered to sing around 1967. When I left Houston and started recording, I did a couple of recordings here local with local people, not big companies, and I left here and I (went) with Dixie Band in Atlanta, Georgia. I had a lot of leeway on choosing over most of the songs where writers would send to them, and they were sending to me to pick the ones I wanted to sing. Most of the time when I was going to record, they would send different writers, different songs for me to check out, and if I would like the song by the time I would get to Georgia, they had just laid out the music, and I would just come in and sing ’em.”

As it is, she’s a six-time Blues Music Award nominee, was inducted into the Houston Music Hall of Fame and has appeared at the Notodden Blues Festival in both 1999 and 2009, and with Little Milton at the San Francisco Blues Festival in 2001. In 2014, she performed at the Lucerne Blues Festival. I’m Still Here, recorded with the Calvin Owens Blues Orchestra in 2006, was nominated for a Blues Music Award, and her 2015 CD Everything Comes with A Price spent four months on the Living Blues Radio Chart.

Listening to her albums and knowing she grew up in Houston’s notorious fifth ward, one could surmise that Trudy Lynn has had a hard life. If she has, she certainly didn’t complain about it in this interview. “No. I’ve been to Asia and Europe, and I never had no hard problems ’cause I go and do the tours and then I’m back home, and I’ve enjoyed doing what I do. I’ve not had any complications that I can go back and say anything about. None of it! I’ve had no complications.”

On her 2016 album I’ll Sing The Blues for You, for instance, she covers Memphis Minnie’s “World of Trouble,” and sings “I’m in a world of trouble, and it sure is not a place to go,” and you believe she’s been there. And “Alright Baby” from the same album may not have the shock value of Big Mama Thornton’s bawdy lyrics about a jockey who knows how to ride, but Trudy can will make you believe she could bring Big Mama up to speed on modern romance and commiserate with her when she sings, “If he don’t love me, you know I don’t feel right.”

“I’ve seen other people go through (troubles with men), and I can just about imagine what’s going on with ’em, you know. But so far to say (any one) song is definitely about my life I can’t say I would have to go through all the 10 points, but nothing that I just wanna put out there about me. It’s not my life because I know of other people who go through these things, you know?”

Steve Karas is her righthand man. She’s been working with him she estimates 10 or 12 years. He did all the harmonica work on Royal Oaks Blues Cafe which is on his label, Conner Ray Music. It hit number one on the Billboard blues charts in 2013. He plays righteous harp on her latest LP, Blues Keep Knockin’, and is the one other musician she takes with her when she plays Europe.

“He’s a good friend. He used to come see me when I worked with Jerry Lightfoot, and he played with him. And we just happened one day to be talking. He came by and we were talking, and I was listening to some of the females because I like listening to some of the old females, and I just mentioned to him, I said, ‘I’m gonna cut some of these songs from ladies of a long time ago,’ and he said, ‘When you get ready to do that, just let me know, and we’ll go in the studio.’ I said, ‘Ok, I’ll let you know.’

“But I didn’t pay hm any attention ’cause people are always just talking, and about two weeks later he called me and said, ‘Are you ready to go into the studio?’ I said, ‘Well, what am I going into the studio for?’ He said, ‘For the (record).’ I said, ‘Oh, yeah.’ He said, ‘All I want to do is just play on some of ’em.’ I said, ‘Well, you’re welcome to play on some of them.’ And we just kicked it off from there.

“He said, ‘Do you have anything I can give to the musicians?’ And I told him, ‘No, just have the musicians in the studio when I come there.’ And so we went in, and I think the first (time) we went in, we did eight or nine songs. I just told him what I wanted, and we just went right off and and did ’em. Just like that. I’d been in the studio a long time, you know, ’cause sometimes you send tracks to the musicians and they’re not – I just rather have ’em come on, and I give it to ya right then, and let’s do it. I feel you get better results.

“Lately since I’ve been traveling overseas, I just carry Steve, and I have some groups I work with over there. I’ve got a tour that’s coming up in November this year. I’m gonna go over with Wayne Baker Brooks behind me on this tour in November. I go to Spain next month and there’s a group over there, but Steve always travels with me, but he won’t be with me when I go do a thing with Wayne Baker Brooks.”

“He left me at 3 in the morning/I had another by four,” she struts on “One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show” by Charles Singer and Rose Marie McCoy from her most recent album Blues Keep Knockin’. Trudy’s voice is weathering well on this CD like Bettye LaVette’s, and the instrumentation here is some of her simplest including guest guitar by Bob Lanza on “Pitiful,” her personal favorite from the album written by Big Maybelle. There are no songwriter credits on the album sleeve, but she tells me “Blues Ain’t Nothin’” is by Georgia Wright. Jimmy Rogers and Oakem Brown wrote “That’s Alright.” Carolyne Wonderland plays guitar on “Would It Make Any Difference” by Etta James. “When I Been Drinkin’” is by Big Bill Broonzy. Country artist Hoyt Axton wrote “When I Get to Spain,” and Trudy wrote the title song.

Trudy Lynn has been her own woman for a long and productive career. “Most of the time when I was going to record, they would send different writers, different songs for me to check out, and if I would like the song by the time I would get to the studio, they had just laid out the music, and I would just come in and sing ’em.

“I like blues, and I like listening to the old blues because I could just picture what those people were going through with those songs, you know, and that comes out in me when I do songs. I listen to music all the time. I listen to songs. I like a lot of the traditional older blues. Some of the songs just stick with me. And some of these songs somebody else would just listen to ’em, but the stories just stick with me, and if it’s something that’s a change for me, something that I truly understand, something that I know about, the truth is what I see.”

Interviewer Don Wilcock has been writing about blues for nearly half a century. He wrote Damn Right I’ve Got The Blues, the biography that helped Buddy Guy jumpstart his career in 1991. He’s interviewed more than 5000 Blues artists and edited several music magazines including King Biscuit Time.

Delbert McClinton and Self-Made Men + Dana – Tall, Dark, & Handsome

Hot Shot Records

www.delbert.com

14 Tracks/40:09

A national treasure, singer Delbert McClinton shows no signs of slowing down, sounding as energized and relevant on his latest project as he did over forty years ago on classic albums like Genuine Cowhide and Victim of Life’s Circumstances. He had a writing every song, typically in conjunction with his regular guitarist, Bob Britt, and his outstanding keyboard player, Kevin McKendree. The trio also served as co-producers on the sessions, done at McKendree’s Rock House Studio in Franklin, TN.

Than band swings like crazy on “Mr. Smith,” with Joe Maher on drums and Glenn Worf on bass setting the pace, with McClinton’s animated vocal perfectly framed by a robust horn section consisting of Jim Hoke and Dana Robbins on sax, Roy Agee on trombone, and Quentin Ware delivering a memorable trumpet excursion. The horns are replaced by the violin master Stuart Duncan on “No Chicken On The Bone,” the swinging pace continuing, but in a darker vein as McClinton expounds on his latest fascination. “A Fool Like Me” finds him trying to curtail a budding romance, adding the telling admission, “How could I love somebody, who would fall for a fool like me”. The dazzling arrangement includes stellar work by McKendree on piano, Britt on slide guitar, and a closing solo by Hoke on clarinet that injects some New Orleans-style seasoning.

“If I Hock My Guitar” has a swaggering strut with McClinton professing his love for the blues to the bitter end, then he recalls his glory days on “Can’t Get Up” before fessing up to the fact that there is no escaping the aging process. Both tracks feature a scaled-down band consisting of Maher, Britt, and McKendree on piano and organ. Hoke adds his baritone sax on the former track. Yates McKendree adds his guitar to “Loud Mouth,” a rocking tune that once again explores the folly of human existence.

The small group establishes a late-night mood as McClinton issues a clear warning to a troubling woman from his past on “Lulu”. The mood grows even darker on “Temporarily Insane,” a haunting recollection on life’s wrong turns, McClinton’s weathered tone conveying the anguish with every note. “Down In The Mouth” is brief, muscular Texas-style shuffle recounting the emotional carnage of lost love, with James Pennebaker guesting on guitar. Dennis Wage takes over on piano, Michael Joyce handles the bass, and Jack Bruno, a regular in McClinton’s band, is on drums for “Ruby & Jules,” a detailed portrayal of a roadhouse love affair. The trio stick around for the laid-back “Let’s Get Down Like We Used To,” with Pat McLaughlin joining Britt on guitar. Hoke switches to accordion, adding a Tex-Mex touch to “Gone To Mexico,” as McClinton looks to escape life’s heartache. “Any Other Way” finally finds him happy, radiating in love’s embrace. Robbins contributes several smoky tenor sax statements.

The final piece, “A Poem,” is a minute long proclamation from McClinton, accompanied by Britt and McKendree, offering one final summation on the human experience. McClinton has always been one of the best at revealing life’s most intimate moments and feelings in his songs. As a coda, it stands in stark contrast to the other thirteen tracks that are brimming with spirit, humor, and outstanding musicianship. It is always a treat to get a new one from McClinton. Tall, Dark, & Handsome is one of his best……making it highly recommended!

Reviewer Mark Thompson lives in Florida, where he is enjoying the sun and retirement. He is the past President of the Board of Directors for the Suncoast Blues Society and a member of the Board of Directors for the Blues Foundation. Music has been a huge part of his life for the past fifty years – just ask his wife!

Jason Ricci & The Bad Kind – My Chops Are Rolling

EllerSoul Records

www.mooncat.org

11 Tracks 50:57

New Orleans has been the home for Jason Ricci since 2011. He was born in Maine, and spent time in Memphis and Raleigh NC along his life’s journey. Punk music was his original music calling, with harmonica chosen as an instrument. With his mom’s encouragement he got into blues music. Ricci married musician Kaitlin Dibble in 2017 and she appears on this release. His skills with performing and playing the harmonica has garnered him numerous awards and nominations over the years. There are a dozen releases by Ricci and other special guest slots. For this release, Ricci sings and plays his harmonica. Joining him on the recording is the Bad Kind Band including John Lisi (guitar, dobro & vocals), Andy Kurz (bass & backup vocals), John Perkins (drums & backup vocals) and Kaitlin Dibble (vocals & backup vocals). There are 2 covers and the remaining cuts written by Ricci, Lisi or the band members. The music is blues with some rock and other genres mixed in.

“Break In The Rain” is a rollicking opening cut. The band really gets into a strong jam with Ricci’s harmonica and Lisi’s guitar blazing the trail. John Lisi wrote this tune. The band turns to some down home blues on “Don’t Badger The Witness”. Ricci wrote this one, and it is a very good tune. NFL allegiance to the Saints and a dislike of the Falcons is the basis for the 3rd tune. “F_ck The Falcons (Who Dat Nation)” is a non radio friendly pole at the rest of the NFC South competitors. The Led Zeppelin classic “Going To California” is the first cover tune on the CD. It is an instrumental version of this classic with Ricci’s harp leading the way on this 5 ½ minute romp. The second cover is on a song by the great Barbara Lynn. “If You Should Lose Me” features Kaitlin Dibble on the vocals for this gulf coast soulful classic.

The title tune “My Chops Are Rolling” is up next. It is a modern funky blues tune with great energy. There is some fun on the funky “Sleeping On Biscuits” and it’s reference to KFC meals and other food. Lisi cuts loose on his guitar on this one. “Snow Flakes And Horses” is a crazed tune, with more rock than blues in the music. I like the long slow grinding blues tune “The Way I Hurt Myself”. It is a bit on the darker side but the blues can be that way. Musically the tune is outstanding with plenty of room to stretch it out timing out at 7 ½ minutes. “Think It Over” is a John Lisi penned tune. This one is more a country blues feel. Ricci plays his harp in the style of a country fiddle in the tune. He really plays his tush off. Closing out the release is “Who Dat Nation – Radio Version”. It is a remake of 3rd cut with a more family friendly set of lyrics.

This is a strong performance by Ricci and all of his band. There is variety of musical types and very strong playing. The mood is more upbeat than some of the past Ricci releases. There are strong original tunes and the covers showed some originality to them. (Non-NFL fans can skip the 2 football songs and still get a good earful of music.)

New Orleans and marriage seem to be agreeing with Jason Ricci. Let’s hope more great harmonica music is ahead.

Reviewer Mark Nelson is from La Grange IL and had been enjoying the blues for the last 40 some years in the Chicago area. Chicago blues is his favorite, but he enjoys all the range of blues types.

Paul Oscher – Cool Cat

Blue Fidelity Recordings

www.pauloscher.com

13 tracks

Blues legend Paul Oscher plays piano and guitar along with harp and spent his early career on Chicago’s South Side. Sharing a basement with Otis Spann in Muddy Water’s house, Paul toured and recorded with Muddy and played with many of the notables in the blues. His career had spanned decades and he continues to churn out great music while continuing to inspire harp players around the globe. All original tunes are included here except for one cover.

Oscher plays harp and piano on all tracks. He sings on 8 of them and plays guitar on 4. Johnny Ace, Sarah Brown, Chris Alcaraz and Kid Anderson share the bass duties. Drummers are Russell Lee, Ernie Durawa and June Cone. Lee also sings on a foursome of the cuts. Mike Schermer and Mike Keller play guitar along with Oscher. Sax work was provided by Eric Burnhardt, Tom Robinson, and Tomas Ramirez. Other lead vocalists are Miss Lavelle White on “Dirty Dealin Mama” and Lisa Leuschner on the long version of the title track. Backing vocals on “Rollin’ and Tumblin’” are by Sunny Lowdown and Jeremy Dowden.

The CD opens with a NOLA flair in “Money Makin’ Woman.” The horns provide a great backing and Oscher tinkles the keys with the best of them as he growls out the lead vocals. Nice piano and sax solos here, too! “Blues and Trouble” is a thoughtful, slow blues. Paul is gritty and cool in his delivery. The tenor sax solo is beautiful mid cut and we get a little dirty guitar soloing late in the piece. “Hide Out Baby” is a fun little shuffle and features a big guitar solo and later the first appearance with Paul on harp. It’s a nice number. The harp introduces “Work That Stuff,” a blues ballad that Oscher plays and sings with emotion. The harp is excellent; he plays with restraint that just grabs the listener in this cool cut.

The lone cover is Muddy’s “Rollin’ and Tumblin’” and features a trio with Oscher and the two backing vocalist. Keller and Brown along with Oscher give us great guitar work to savor here in a simple and stark cover with the snare driving the beat. The title cut has three variants. Here next the first is a prologue by Oscher speaking and playing a little piano and talking about a guy who walked by Muddy’s house with a cat tied to his waist. The cat wore a beret and sunglasses and called the cat Cool Cat. The premise for he tune is the guy’s flute tune which Oscher plays for us on the piano and simulates the kids who followed the man and his cat with some recorded kids. He transitions in the Jazz Quartet version with Durama, Ramirez and Alcarez. It’s a pretty and jazzy blues instrumental.

“Mississippi Poem” is a very dark and cool poem recited by Russell Lee before he takes the lead vocals on “Ain’t That A Man (Dedicated to Mr. Cotton).” You can figure out who the tune is about as Lee speaks and sings the lyrical tribute to James Cotton. Very cool. Miss Lavelle White is on the following tune and gives us some very cool vocals on “Dirty Dealin’ Mama.” Full of double entendres, Oscher on piano and guitar and Robinson on sax give her a great backdrop to deliver her cut.

The jazz quartet returns for “On The Edge,” and this one is pure jazz. Piano and sax trade the lead on the instrumental with a cool fade out and in that gives it a little more edge. Lee returns for “Poor Man Blues,” done in pure Chicago blues style with piano, guitar and sax responding to Lee’s call and backing him well. The album closes with the long R&B version of the instrumental title track. Oscher’s piano is the feature here as he plays with hand claps in percussive support. Robinson’s tenor solo is pretty and then Keller’s guitar gets a turn to shine. The first bass goes next (Brown and Anderson are on the track), and Lee gets a shot at the drum solo. Another bass solo and then another sax solo before Oscher takes us home on piano. Leuschner howls in support as part of the outro, a very cool ending to a cool cut about a cool cat. Well done!

This is a great CD. Oscher shows his roots with Muddy and gives us his all. Not as much harp as I expected from one of his CDs but the music is super. I liked the arrangements and songs and everyone gave their all. I recommend this one for many a fine evening of listening!

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 works with their Blues In The Schools program. He resides in Byron, IL.

Peter Ward – Train to Key Biscayne

Gandy Dancer Records

www.peterwardblues.com

CD: 12 Songs, 43:00 Minutes

Styles: Ensemble Blues, Traditional and Contemporary Electric Blues, All Original Songs

Perhaps the most special thing about Train to Key Biscayne, by Maine native Peter Ward, is its array of brilliant guest stars: Luther Johnson, Michelle Willson, Ronnie Earl, Sugar Ray Norcia, Johnny Nicholas, and Anthony Geraci. As they say on infomercials, “But wait, there’s more.” Six seconds into the album, I paused it and cried, “Lovely!” That NEVER happens. Once you pop this in your CD player, download or stream it, there’s no going back. Its musical journey is a one-way trip to paradise. Some vocals are flat and hard to understand, but who cares when the musicians and their instruments of choice are top-notch? Another plus is the wide variety of song styles, from traditional blues homage (“The Luther Johnson Thing”) to roaring rocker (“I Saw Your Home”) to instrumental (“Anthony’s Son”). You’re in luck – analysis is included.

“Peter ‘High Fi’ Ward has been a brother to me since I have known him in 1975,” says guitar legend and multiple Blues Music Award-winner Ronnie Earl. “To me, he plays the kind of music that I just love, which is traditional blues, Western swing and country – and he is adept at all these styles. His music makes me want to pick up the guitar and play.” That’s the highest compliment an artist can receive: that s/he inspires others to create as well, not just bask in reflected glory. He grew up in Lewiston, Maine and later moved to Boston. Ward was also married for twenty years to blues DJ Mai Cramer, who passed away of breast cancer in 2002. Each year since then, Peter and Mai’s fans have staged a fundraiser in her honor, featuring such headliners as Duke Robillard, Jody Williams, Lurrie Bell and Ron Levy.

Performing alongside Peter and the guest stars mentioned above are Mudcat Ward on bass, Neil Gouvin on drums, Jiri Nedoma on piano, Bob Berry on bass, George Dellomo on drums, Hank Walther on piano, harmonica, and organ; Aaron Gratzmiller on saxophone and organ, and Keith Asack on additional guitar, bass and drums.

The following three songs are highlights, so “order now.”

Track 01: “The Luther Johnson Thing” – “Lovely” was what yours truly termed this song, but you don’t have to take her word for it. Let the mellifluous combination of Sugar Ray Norcia’s harp and Ward’s guitar wash over your ears like ocean waves lapping the shore. Our song’s subject does vocal duty reminiscent of Randy Newman and Ray Charles in his later years.

Track 05: “I Saw Your Home” – Okay, this isn’t a blues song. It’s an explosive ballad that’ll blow out your speakers or your earbuds if you crank the volume too high. Nevertheless, there hasn’t been guitar phrasing this gorgeous since Dire Straits’ “Calling Elvis.” Michelle Willson’s vocals bring “Home” the message. Poignant and powerhouse all at once, it’s a spot-on lure for Millennials and even younger folks who don’t have much of a blues/rock background.

Track 12: “Anthony’s Son” – Mothers sing their little ones to sleep. This CD’s closer is a lullaby for grownups. One minute and seven seconds of Peter Ward’s soothing strumming will make even the most caffeine-hyped listener’s head hit the pillow. Relax, enjoy, and sweet dreams.

Is this review just one big infomercial? Yes, but I meant every word. You’ll surely want to board Peter Ward and guests’ Train to Key Biscayne!

Reviewer Rainey Wetnight is a 39 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.

Bonita and the Blues Shacks – Sweet Thing

Rhythm Bomb Records

www.bluesshacks.com

CD: 16 Songs, 49:00 Minutes

Styles: Ensemble Blues, Horn Blues, Torch Singer Blues

Ever since I was little, I’ve had a soft spot for torch singers. Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, all the way down to Adele. Give me a bona-fide chanteuse over a bubblegum pop star any day. Even on a blues CD, a leading lady adds so much passion and power. Germany’s BB and the Blues Shacks have added Bonita Niessen, a dynamo from South Africa, to their ensemble, fleshing out their sound quite nicely. It’s like a Mai Tai on a Hawaiian cruise: sweet and luscious, but don’t forget the rum. On sixteen songs – six originals and ten classic covers – they bring back the ‘50s and ‘60s with their delightful retro groove. With that said, keep in mind this isn’t hard blues. No screaming shredder here. No gritty stomps. No raunchy lyrics, but plenty of sly innuendo. Sweet Thing is the perfect album for a pool party or gals’ night out.

The Shacks have had a long and storied history in the blues biz – even in this magazine. Several of their releases have been reviewed here, and our jury has ruled in their favor. No wonder. They’ve got talent, drive, energy, and a vibe that’s positive without being preachy, comforting without being cloying. As their promotional materials state, they’ve gone on a lot of tours and have been the only international group that was selected to play three times at the prestigious Doheny Blues Festival. They may not be big in the U.S. yet, but that may change soon.

Joining “bonita” Bonita on lead female vocals are Michael Arlt on harmonica and male vocals, Andreas Arlt on guitar, Fabian Fritz on piano and organ, Henning Hauerken on upright and electric bass, Andre Werkmeister on drums and percussion, Tom Müller on saxophone, and Stefan Gössinger on trumpet.

The following three original songs are sure to make even the un-hippest hipsters get hopping.

Track 02: “Momma’s Goin’ Dancin’” – The band goes all out on their second number, which in this reviewer’s opinion, should have been the opener. Our narrator is sick of household drudgery and in the mood to hit a different kind of floor: “Well, I’m done doing dishes, babe, and I’ve washed your dirty clothes. Ain’t nothing left for me to do. I’m tired. Ain’t nothing left for me to do. See, now, Momma’s goin’ dancin’ – Daddy, get my dancing shoes.” The musicians take turns “walking the dog,” and Bonita’s sassy singing will make house-spouses of all kinds relate.

Track 08: “Hottest Wings in Town” – Of the sixteen selections on this CD, number eight is one that sounds most like traditional blues. Most everyone loves chicken wings – and other tender morsels. “I’ve got the hottest wings in town,” Bonita boasts in this spicy Chicago-style number. “If you ever get a taste, now, they sure won’t let you down…” Andreas Arlt’s guitar is superb, as is the understated horn section.

Track 12: “Where’s the Money Honey” – Time for some jump/swing blues with bouncy number twelve. Sometimes potential partners “spend nothing but the night” when you want a little more. The best part of this one is when Bonita says, “No mon, no fun.” Revel in Michael Arlt’s harp. He puts his money where his mouth is, and Andre Werkmeister’s drums kick serious tail.

Bonita and the Blues Shacks’ latest delicacy is a Sweet Thing for darn sure!

Reviewer Rainey Wetnight is a 39 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.

Jason Robert – The Death Of Stone Stanley

Self-Release 2018

12 tracks; 46 minutes

www.stonestanley.com

Former front man for the Californian band Stone Stanley, guitarist Jason Robert has released his first solo album, a mix of seven originals and five traditional blues/gospel tunes. Jason plays guitar, drums and kalimba and handles all vocals; two of his band-mates from the new Jason Robert Band join him, Scott Longnecker on bass and, on two tracks, Jim McComas on lead guitar and harmonica.

As befits the title of the album, the palette is generally dark and somber, not least with two of Blind Willie Johnson’s gospel tunes: “John The Revelator” adds Jim’s electric guitar to a slowed down, chugging rhythm though “Soul Of A Man” is played at a more sprightly pace, with Jason on resonator – a good version of a very well known song. Jason’s vocals work well, a touch of grit suiting the mood created here. “You Gotta Move” is usually credited to Mississippi Fred McDowell though it dates much further back. Jason’s version is stripped back and played at a slow pace, emphasizing the traditional Christian message. Another nod to Mississippi Fred comes in “Woke Up This Morning”, a funereal dirge which Jason suggests is about the death of Stone Stanley, now awakening on a distant shore – a metaphor for his own new career beyond the band? The fifth cover, “Moonshiner”, is an Irish folk song that dates back to the late 1800’s, the longest track here at over five minutes and the closest to a full band sound with Jim’s harp and attractive lead work to the fore.

The originals are all just Jason, sometimes with bassist Scott. “Someday” opens the album with a hopeful message about casting off the chains that bind us and looking to a future after our time on Earth, very much in line with the messages in the Blind Willie songs. Jason suggests that we need to stop worrying about the divisive tones of our politicians and concentrate on what we have to hand – sunshine, ocean, love – “All I Need”, indeed. The dark “Mr Bell” recounts the tale of a notorious mining camp boss but could also represent death, the enemy that awaits us all in the end. Similarly dark is “Never Gonna Die” which Jason sees as ‘a more aggressive way of echoing similar thoughts to Bind Willie Johnson’s “Soul Of A Man” and certainly the electric guitar work here has more attack than the acoustic tracks. “Hereafter” then contemplates what may await us in the afterlife and the result does not seem altogether positive!

Among these dark songs “Sat Around” is a gentle acoustic song about unrequited love and “Good Vibes” sounds positively light-hearted with its lyrics about simple pleasures set over an island rhythm. The phrase “just let the rough side drag, it just might smooth” is a quote from Jason’s grandfather that sums up the song.

This reviewer was not familiar with Stone Stanley’s music but Jason Robert can certainly play the blues, solo and accompanied. It will be interesting to hear what the new band produces when it releases a new project in 2020.

Reviewer John Mitchell is a blues enthusiast based in the UK who enjoys a wide variety of blues and roots music, especially anything in the ‘soul/blues’ category. Favorites include contemporary artists such as Curtis Salgado, Tad Robinson, Albert Castiglia and Doug Deming and classic artists including Bobby Bland, Howling Wolf and the three ‘Kings’. He gets over to the States as often as he can to see live blues.

Sunday Wilde & The 1 Eyed Jacks

Self-Release – 2019

www.sundaywilde.com

11 tracks; 43 minutes

Canadian Sunday Wilde returns with her eighth album, a combination of eight originals and three covers. This is a new band as Sunday lost her partner and bassist Jack Reno a couple of years ago. The new core band is Sunday on keys and vocals, Arek ‘A-Train’ Chamski on upright bass and Colin Craig on drums; Arek also plays ukelele on two tracks and guitar is added, by Ari Lahdekorpi on eight tracks, Greg Schultz on two and Ken Patterson on one.

Harpdog Brown is quoted in the PR information as finding Sunday’s voice ‘unique and addictive’ but some may find her distinctive vocal style an acquired taste. The vocals do give some songs a bit of a jazz flavour which is enhanced by the double bass and electric piano that Sunday favours; try “Love Is” and “Dead Man’s Clothes” as examples of that style. “Show Me Mercy” has a brooding edge from the guitar stylings behind Sunday’s pleading vocal about being alone while “My Baby’s Dead” has a bouncing tune from the jagged ukulele but ‘down’ lyrics about a dream which sounds like a genuine nightmare. Of course the loss of a partner will have an effect on the music and “Spirits Up My Friend” is dedicated to Jack, a slow tune with stately piano, bowed bass and Ken Patterson’s guitar appearing briefly at the beginning, the drums sitting this one out.

In contrast “Captured Me” is an upbeat track with honky tonk piano and thumping bass as Sunday tells us of a guy who rushed her off her feet and “Swear You’re Cheatin’” is a good foot-tapper with Ari’s guitar adding a touch of rock n’ roll. Album closer “I Guess I Didn’t Hear You Right” is another slow tune about waiting in vain for a guy who does not turn up, the ethereal guitar adding to the generally tearful feel of the song.

The covers include a rollicking version of Willie Dixon and Billy Emerson’s “Dead Presidents” on which Greg’s guitar adds to the bottom end of the music as Sunday’s piano takes the centre stage. A second Dixon tune “Evil” gets a makeover with Ari’s eerie guitar set against Sunday’s piano and vocal though the sense of evil conveyed by Howling Wolf’s seminal version is not there. Mel London’s oft-covered “It Hurts Me Too” starts at a funereal pace and stays a pretty laid back version, especially in Ari’s languid solo.

Sunday’s fans will enjoy her latest with a new band.

Reviewer John Mitchell is a blues enthusiast based in the UK who enjoys a wide variety of blues and roots music, especially anything in the ‘soul/blues’ category. Favorites include contemporary artists such as Curtis Salgado, Tad Robinson, Albert Castiglia and Doug Deming and classic artists including Bobby Bland, Howling Wolf and the three ‘Kings’. He gets over to the States as often as he can to see live blues.

Michele D’Amour and the Love Dealers – Heart of Memphis

Blues Kitty Records

www.micheledamourandthelovedealers.com

CD: 8 Songs, 34:22 Minutes

Styles: Ensemble Blues, Memphis Blues, Jazz

“There are the places we grew up and the places we call home; and there are other places that feel like home the first time we visit and draw us back again. Here’s to Memphis, which instantly felt like home for the band and where much of this CD was recorded.” So elegizes the leading lady of Michele D’Amour and the Love Dealers on their new album, Heart of Memphis. Although based in Seattle, this dynamic ensemble found an instant kinship with the home of “Memphis Soul Stew” (number eight, and this release’s sole cover). The title track pays obvious homage to it, but the spirit of the city shines through on every song. Speaking of singing, the one thing Michele’s vocals have in spades might be called “grit,” edge,” or “worldliness.” No dulcet tones issue forth from her throat, but the smooth and seamless instrumentation more than makes up for this minus. It’s some of the best big band blues/jazz that yours truly has heard this year.

She’s not the only one who admires it, either. The band has earned countless accolades and awards, including “Best Blues Band” from LA Music Critic in 2019, rotation on STEAM Magazine Radio in April 2015, a Grand Prize in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest for their tune “Trouble” in 2017, and three silver medals from the Global Music Awards in June 2019. As for Michele herself, she penned her first song at the age of six and became a published poet in her early twenties. In fact, she’s called “the poetess of the blues,” and it shows in her lyrics.

Joining D’Amour (lead and backing vocals) are the Love Dealers: Patrick McDanel on bass, Jeff Cornell on guitar, Dave Delzotto on drums, Brian Olendorf on keyboards, and Noel Barnes on tenor sax. Special guests include Rae Gordon, Sheila Kelly and Kristi Miller on backing vocals, Greg Lyons on trumpet and Greg Schroeder on trombone.

The ballad below is a slow burner, one of the most traditional-sounding of the eight songs here.

Track 02: “Dirty Pool” – With a beat and guitar refrain that are catchier than a cold, number two is terrific. “I thought we were a team, believed you had my back,” our narrator laments, “but you were playing with some cards that weren’t in the dealer’s deck.” Bit of a mixed metaphor in regards to the title, but there’s no doubt “Dirty Pool” is no “scratch” of a song.

In the mood for a short, sweet CD with a razor-sharp edge? Take a trip to the Heart of Memphis!

Reviewer Rainey Wetnight is a 39 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.

Aaron Burton – Blues is Beautiful

Self-Produced

www.aaronburton.net

CD: 12 Songs, 33:00 Minutes

Styles: Contemporary Electric Blues Rock, Harmonica Blues

In 2013, this reviewer happened upon The Return of Peetie Whitestraw, by Texas bluesman Aaron Burton, and went gaga over it. Six years later, the Texas titan is back to prove that Blues is Beautiful. Dedicated to his late mother, Beverly Denise Morgan Burton, it features ten original tracks and two covers (“Illinois Blues” by Skip James and “The Entertainer” by Scott Joplin). Overall, this CD is a mixed bag but a commendable effort. Crisp tunes such as “Sweet Jessica Linn” and “I Was Trippin’” counterbalance meandering musical journeys like the title track. On vocals, Burton might put one in mind of Eric Clapton and Darius Rucker simultaneously. How he pulls off an incredible low range is nothing short of stunning. His diction isn’t perfect, but that’s a minor quibble when the blues is all that matters.

What does Aaron Burton have in common with Tom Clancy and Stephen King? He’s prolific, having created fifty-plus original compositions, released eight albums including this one, and played countless bars and clubs in his native Dallas/Fort Worth. However, our blues hero ought to be more well-known in the United States and worldwide. Aaron is on the brink of making it big, and when he does, look out.

Joining Mr. Burton (guitar and vocals) are William “Sleepin’ Bill” Johnston on harp, Fred Harvey on sax, and Dirk Cordes on drums.

The following track achieves a trifecta of catchiness, danceability, and lyrical humor.

Track 03: “I Was Trippin’” – We all make stupid decisions in our youth, and sometimes when our prime years are behind us. In this autobiographical ditty, Aaron lays it all on the line: “When I was young, I was such a little turd. I thought life wasn’t fair, so was mad at the whole wide world. I was skipping school, drinking, smoking, and getting into fights. I had a sweet little angel, but I wouldn’t treat her right. Man, I was tripping, really was a fool. Lord, I was tripping, y’all, trying to be so cool.” “Sleepin’ Bill” Johnston plays terrific harmonica here.

Some missteps aside, Texan Aaron Burton once again demonstrates that Blues is Beautiful!

Reviewer Rainey Wetnight is a 39 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.

Terry Robb – Confessin’ My Dues

www.terryrobb.com

NiaSounds

CD: 13 songs, 40:43 minutes

The world is full of acoustic guitar players. There are guitar players then we have a handful of musicians who stand apart. Terry Robb is definitely part of the latter. He may be the best acoustic player that a majority of the music listening audience has not heard. Music and entertainment publications have given Robb accolades for many years. He had collaborated with John Fahey, Maia Muldaur and Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater, to name but a few. He has had tour adventures with Buddy Guy and Steve Miller, and shared the stage with B. B. King, Robin Trower (on earlier select night’s current tour), Albert Lee, Joe Cocker and the list goes on and on. Robb also spent some time earlier in his career playing in the bands of Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart and Canned Heat.

He is in the Cascade Blues Hall of Fame in his home state of Oregon (he was born in Canada). They annually award blues commendations in the customary areas. They call them the Muddy Awards. Robb was named that organizations “best acoustic guitar player” for nineteen consecutive years. The group honored him by renaming the distinction as the “Terry Robb” Acoustic Guitar Muddy Award.

His guitar prowess has him in demand as an acoustic/finger-picking workshop leader. Robb is no stranger to the studio or stage. Confessin’ My Dues is his 15th album to date and second on the Portland based NiaSounds label. Some earlier releases have been solo efforts while others have included musicians. Joining him on this album are jazz greats: Gary Hobbs on drums and Dave Captein on bass. The duo provides a great rhythm section for Robb’s guitar work. Adam Scarmstad plays rhythm guitar on “Keep Your Judgement”. Mr. Robb stated “Sonically, I wanted the album to be both intimate and powerful; I’m very excited to bring this group of musicians together for the first time”.

The cover of the work may give the impression on turn of the century (19th to 20th century that is). As soon as you hear the beginning of the opening track “Butch Holler Stomp” those thoughts change. The “toe tapper’ is a happy little tune that shows Mr. Robb’s finger-picking prowess right off the bat.

“Still on 101”, “How a Free Man Feels”, and “Darkest Road” all have that delta blues sound. “Darkest Road” grabbed me with its references to Mississippi, Highway 61, and the Crossroads. The lyrics do a good job of expressing the thoughts and you can almost feel a person coming up behind you during the night and offering what you want in exchange for something the stranger wants to control.

“It Might Get Sweaty” is a funky offering with pace changes scattered throughout the song. About halfway through the tune Mr. Robb sets off on a flying-finger riff that to a bumbling guitarist like me seems impossible for a man to accomplish.

The title track, “Confessin’ My Dues”, gives you an idea of almost everything a man will face in a lifetime. “Now Vestapal” is based on the way a parlor guitar was tuned in the early 1900’s. The finger picking style was best played in “Open D” tuning, which means a D chord is strummed with no strings fretted. That became Vestapal. The song here has a catchy tune with good tempo. It changes to slower finger-picking mode toward the middle of the song then builds back up to finish the song.

I will admit prior to listening to Confessin’ My Dues I knew little about Terry Robb. I have become an admirer of his guitar playing the way he can convey a feel with his fingers. The album has a little from every incarnation of the blues. The finger-picking is jaw dropping, the delta feel seems real and the musicianship is suburb.

Reviewer Bob Swofford is a retired educator and now is a man of leisure. He has been part of Delta State University’s International Blues Scholars program and a presenter at their annual conference. A product of the sixties he found the blues from the bands of the British invasion. The rest is study and history.

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River City Blues Society – Peoria, IL

Saturday September 7, 2019 the RCBS will host a membership drive ‘appreciation’ concert featuring acclaimed Guitarist / Vocalist / Songwriter Sean Chambers LIVE at BG Saloon in Bartonville, IL. Opening act: Chris Stevens & Greg Weinberg. Music starts at 5:00 p.m.

Sacramento Blues Society – Sacramento, CA

The Sacramento Blues Society is proud to announce the 2019 Inductees to the Sacramento Blues Society Hall of Fame are: Kenny Marchese, Leo Bootes, Marty Deradoorian, Robert Nakashima and from our Gone but Not Forgotten Gary “Walin” Black. Join us at Harlow’s, 2708 J Street, Sacramento, on September 29th from 1:00 – 5:00 for the Induction Ceremony and awesome entertainment by 2016 SBS Hall of Fame Inductee Marcel Smith w/Bob Jones & The Chosen Few. Tickets $15 for SBS Members, $20 for Non-members. HOF All-Star Showcase after the Ceremony at the nationally known Torch Club, 904 15th St., Sacramento, from 6-8 pm. For additional information, please contact www.sacblues.com

Multiple System Atrophy Coalition – Peoria, IL

My wife was a blues fan. Not an artist, but pretty good with an iTunes mix. It was blues music that helped her battle multiple system atrophy (MSA.

MSA, nicknamed “Parkinson’s on steroids” by a patient and “the Beast” by another, is rare, sporadic and terminal within 7-10 years from onset. During her MSA journey she and her husband Larry (Doc) Kellerman brainstormed how to best raise awareness. They decided to to “recruit” blues artists, fans, supporters and college basketball teams and fans to the cause.

This year the Beat MSA! Event is October 3rd, 5:30 – 9:30 pm at the Monarch Music Hall in Peoria, IL. Visit www.msabgon.org to learn more, make a donation or bid on a silent auction item donated by blues artists, college basketball teams and businesses. All proceeds benefit the Multiple System Atrophy Coalition. This is the third year of the event. Over 70 blues artists and untold blues fans have contributed to beating this disease. We will Beat MSA! with your help. Please join us.

The Charlotte Blues Society – Charlotte, NC

The Charlotte Blues Society is pleased to announce our August Blues Bash will feature an Open Jam following The Instigators, an exciting Charlotte based, four piece Blues band that also demonstrate a command of Southern Soul, R&B, Reggae and Rock influences in their repertoire. The band members are as follows, Rob Dayton, Stephen Foley, John Hartley, and Michael Ingmire. Michael is a nationally published writer and historian who has written many musical history articles about many American musical icons. He is a consistent contributor to Politichicks.com and the Charlotte Blues Society’s monthly newsletter with his writing.

The show will be held Sunday, Aug. 4th, at The Rabbit Hole, 1801 Commonwealth Ave., Charlotte, NC. Admission is free for members with valid cards and $5 to everyone else. Doors at 7:00; music at 8:00. Open jam at 9:30. It will be a great evening of music!

We continue to collect non-perishable food items for Loaves and Fishes. Cash donations are also welcome. 1 can? I can! More info at https://charlottebluessociety.org.

Crossroads Blues Society – Rockford, IL

Crossroads Blues Society summer schedule. Shows at the Lyran Society in Rockford to 10 pm no cover! – 8/16/19 Brother Dave Kaye

The monthly shows at the Hope and Anchor in Loves Park continue $5 cover, 8 to 11:30 PM: 9/14/19 Blues Blast Awards Post Event, 10/12/18 The Jimmys

Crossroads Blues Festival is Saturday, August 24th at Lyran Park, Rockford – Blues Disciples, Chris O’Leary Band, Westside Andy with Reverend Raven and the Chain Smoking Altar Boys, 6 PM: Nick Moss Band with Dennis Gruenling, John Primer, Joe Filisko harp workshop, Wheatbread Johnson, Justin “Boots” Gates and our own Rick Hein and Bill Graw!

The Illinois Central Blues Club – Springfield, IL

The Illinois Central Blues Club has announced the line-up of talent for Blue Monday live performances and other shows held at the Alamo, 115 North Fifth, Springfield, IL from 7:00pm to 11:00pm. Additional information on any performer listed below is available upon request. Aug 19 – Jonny T-Bird & the MP’s, Aug 26 – Chris O’Leary Band, Sept 2 – Paul Bonn and the Bluesmen, Sept 9 – Joe Tenuto Band, Sept 16 – Reverend Raven & the Chain Smokin’ Alter Boys w/ Westside Andy, Sept 23 – Doug Deming & The Jewel Tones.

Friends of the Blues – Kankakee, IL

Shows start at 7 pm, and are open to the public. Food and Beverages available at all Friends of the Blues shows. August 15 – Albert Castiglia – The Longbranch – L’Erable IL, November 6 – Mike Morgan & The Crawl – Kankakee Valley Boat Club. More Info at: http://www.facebook.com/friendsoftheblues.