Cover photo © 2023 Doug Hardesty

 In This Issue 

Anita Schlank has our feature interview with Anthony Rosano. We have ten Blues reviews for you this week including a book about B.B. King and a book about Fleetwood Mac’s recording session at Chess Records plus new music from Denise Lagrassa, Larry Taylor and The Taylor Family with The Soul Blues Healers, Gwyn Ashton, Willie J. Campbell, Wolf Mail, Dustin Douglas & The Electric Gentlemen, Lady A and Joyann Parker. Scroll down and check it out!

 From The Editor’s Desk 

Hey Blues Fans,

This week we announced the full lineup of artists and activities for the Blues Blast Music Awards September 22 & 23, 2023 at the 3300 Event Center in Peoria, IL.

More than 20 nominees are performing and it is going to be an amazing weekend. Artists perfroming at Friday’s Sean Costello Fund Benefit include Skylar Rogers, Eric Demmer, DaShawn Hickman, Billy Price, Mick Kolassa, Hudspeth & Taylor, Erech Bruce Band and other surprise artists!

Then the BBMA ceremonies on Saturday will feature performances by Lady J Huston Show, Doug Deming, Bob Corritore & Jimmi Primetime Smith, John Primer with Aliya Primer, Catfish Keith, Big Harp George, Dyer Davis, Bob Margolin, Bob Stroger, Alastair Greene, Jeremiah Johnson, Martin Lang with Rodrigo Mantovani, Dylan Triplett, Annika Chambers & Paul DesLauriers, The Cash Box Kings and a few surprises too!

Check out all the Blues fun and click HERE get your tickets NOW!

Wishing you health, happiness and lots of Blues music!

Bob Kieser

“Why isn’t he more famous?”  That’s what most people ask when they first witness a show by Anthony Rosano.  He is an extremely talented guitarist, writes intelligent songs that seem instantly memorable, and has one of those voices that could make even nursery rhymes sound great.  Add in his wonderful sense of humor, humble persona, good looks. and natural charisma, and it truly seems a mystery that more people don’t know about this artist. However, that is soon to change now that Rosano is a Whiskey Bayou Recording artist and has been touring in support of Tab Benoit.  Blues Blast Magazine had the opportunity to catch up with Rosano before he opened for Benoit at the Ramshead in Annapolis, MD.

Rosano was originally from Long Island, NY, but has been living in the Norfolk, Virginia area for over 25 years.  His parents were not musically inclined, and he was not formally trained in music.  He played in his first band at the age of fifteen, focusing mainly on rock music.

“I tried taking a couple of guitar lessons, but it didn’t work out.  Then I had a friend who took lessons from an accomplished jazz guitar player, and he had a cool apartment, so I would go over and eavesdrop a bit on the lessons.  But it was more just for the hang—I wasn’t really that interested in Jazz.  So mainly I was self-taught. The way I got into the blues was listening to Led Zeppelin and Humble Pie and all those British blues-rock bands.  I then realized that they were trying to copy Muddy Waters.  Then I heard that Glen Tipton (the guitarist from Judas Priest) was into Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac, so I went to a record store and got an old Fleetwood Mac record with Peter Green, and that is how the rabbit hole started for me.  I found out Green was from the Bluesbreakers, and then I learned that the song “Hideaway” was a Freddie King song, so I had to research Freddie King, and it continued from there.”

Rosano has said that he loves many types of music and considers his eclectic style to be an “on-ramp” for the blues.

“I will play any song that speaks to me, although my heart is really in the blues.  However, I like playing music and having people say that they didn’t realize that they liked the blues.  If I can lead someone to start to listen to Muddy Waters, then I’m happy.”

Rosano’s band, The Conqueroos, is named after the shortened version of John the Conqueror’s Root, which is often mentioned in classic blues songs. (For the few who might not know, this root, often kept in a “mojo bag” has been frequently used in spells and hexes to attract love, luck, and power.)  The band’s composition has changed a few times, including trials with harmonica players and a saxophonist, before the latest version of the band was formed.  The Conqueroos are now a power trio with Rosano on guitar and singing lead, Jake Fultz on bass, and Kyle McCormick on drums.

“I really like what Jake and Kyle bring musically.  It suits me best.  I feel a lot freer in writing and playing with them.  And, they are really ‘chill’, with no attitude.  We feel like the music should be in charge.  It shouldn’t be one person.  My name is on the drum because I sing and drive the van, but the music is what is in charge.”

The Conqueroos’ first album (Get Roo’d) turned out surprisingly well, given that Rosano recorded it in his garage.  It soon became well-known around the Tidewater, Virginia area as an album so good that people didn’t skip any of the songs while listening to it.  In fact, the album lost by only one vote, almost winning album of the year at the VEER music awards in Virginia, and Rosano has since won many subsequent VEER awards.

“Winning awards is cool, but the main reason I’ll even post about them is because it raises awareness to the music community.  It feels good to be recognized, but the main thing is to keep the focus on the music community.  Nobody in our band is doing this in order to achieve fame.  I’m just doing this because I like communicating with people through music.”

Get Roo’d consisted of all originals except for one, with two of the songs making powerful references to Rosano’s journey to sobriety.  For example, the song, “The Bottom” states, “Your love is a deadly poison, and I won’t drink again.  Left me blinded and broken.  Just a shadow of a man.  Down at the Bottom, I’ve been plagued with my troubles, I took that whiskey, and I washed it down.”  Rosano was asked about the moment when he knew he had to give up drinking.

“Well, I have the type of personality where I’m all in or I’m not involved.  I was the same way with drinking.  If one is good, then twelve is better.  I was at a show and I over-did it.  I couldn’t drive and slept it off at a friend’s apartment.  They were supposed to wake me up in a couple of hours so I could go home, but I was so out that they weren’t able to wake me.  When I finally woke up in the morning, I found out that my wife had to call out of work because I was supposed to have been the one to take the kids to school, but I wasn’t there.  Also, there was a call from the State Police because my older daughter had contacted them afraid that I might have crashed on the highway on the way home.  That hit me hard because I didn’t want to be that person in the eyes of my children.  I figured if I’m going to have a ‘rock bottom’ I want to define it on my own terms.  I knew where this was going because I had seen it play out a million times.  That was nine years ago, and I haven’t had a drink since.”

Rosano’s second, self-titled album ended up being produced by Mike Zito and featured guest performances by Zito, Johnny Sansone, and Anders Osborne.

“I had written the song “Love’s Got a Hold on Me” and I sent the demo version to Zito for his feedback because I’m a fan of his and respect his work.  He said he liked it and asked me if I had more.  I actually didn’t have more at the time, but lied and said I did.  So, he said we should do a record together and offered to produce it.  It was a great experience.  I went to New Orleans, and we recorded it at NOLA studios, where the Royal Southern Brotherhood demos were done.”

That album contained all original songs, including two that are extremely important to him.  “Long Island Sound” is a song about being homesick for New York and references how he visits his mother’s grave when he returns there to tell her how proud she would be of her granddaughters.  “Blackbird” is a song written specifically for his mother.  Rosano explained how this song came to be.

“I had gone to NY for my mom and my brother’s birthday, which is on the same day.  When I got to her hospital room, the sirens were going off and she was crashing. I held her hand and talked to her and she pulled through.  I think she didn’t want to ruin my brother’s birthday for the rest of his life.  I took a red eye home, and she passed in the wee hours of the morning, after my brother left.  Then my sister told me she had gone to a show of Theresa Caputo (the Long Island medium/psychic).  I don’t usually believe in that stuff, but she told me that Caputo had asked if anyone in the audience had a brother who was a musician, and then she repeated to my sister word-for-word what I had told my mother when it was just her and me in the hospital room.  Nobody could have known that.  Caputo also mentioned that my mother referenced the song “Blackbird” by the Beatles.  I kept listening to that song, but it didn’t really mean anything to me.  But my mom was Irish, and when I was looking for a design for a memorial tattoo, I looked up Celtic blackbirds and found out that they called blackbirds the birds of Rhiannon.   It was believed that people who had passed on might send messages to the living through the blackbirds of Rhiannon.  So that’s what I wrote about.  ‘Blackbird’ is always a very difficult song for me to sing.”

Shortly after this album was released, Bob Seger was looking for someone to open his show in Va. Beach, and Anthony’s band was suggested.  Seger agreed right away and then asked if the Conqueroos could open for his show in DC and New Jersey too.  A month later, Seger’s production manager called and asked Rosano if he wanted to do ten more dates, including Madison Square Garden.

“That was an incredible experience.  It was my first show back in NY since I left in 1996.  And to be able to do the song about being homesick for Long Island and not forgetting where you came from was sort of a full-circle moment for me.  It’s always hard to sing that song because of the reference to my mom, but it was especially hard to sing it while 20,000 people were holding the lights of their phone up, and my wife and daughters were in the audience.  It was pretty heavy.”

Starting with the Bob Seger tour, Rosano made a change to some of his usual equipment, switching to Supro amps.

“Supro amps have a distinct vintage sound but are built to modern specs and are reliable.  So, they have become a major part of my voice on guitar.  I also now use Ernie Ball Paradigm strings because they rarely break.  I used to break strings every show before switching to them.  They hold up much better and sound great.  My main ‘axe’ is a Gibson Firebird.  When I was 15, I saw Johnny Winter at a small club on Long Island.  I knew that night that when I grew up, I was going to have tattoos and play slide on a Firebird!  The tattoos started the next year, but the Firebird didn’t come until I was in my 40s.  I wanted one for so long.  I would look at photos online and play any that showed up in a music store.  But they always cost too much money for me to spend.  Then one came up used in a friend’s store for a decent price.  I was in the store playing it and while I was, my wife went to the counter and bought it for me as a birthday gift.  I was trying to figure out what to trade in, and how I could make it work when my friend said, ‘Oh, by the way—your Firebird comes with a case!’  She smiled and I was like a kid on Christmas morning.  I have played it on every gig since that time.  It’s my number one!”

For Rosano’s latest release, Cheat the Devil, he was invited to come to Houma, Louisiana where Tab Benoit would produce and record the album in Benoit’s home recording studio, Whiskey Bayou Records.

“For Tab’s record, we had just driven 12 hours from Virginia, and we literally pulled up, unloaded the gear, set everything up, and played ten of the 11 songs.  We didn’t use those tracks though because we sounded like crap since we had just driven twelve hours.  But the next day we did record everything live—just the three of us with one take, with no overdubs and no going back and sweetening it up.  I’m glad I listened to Tab’s direction about not going back to fix anything.  The rawness and realness are what people like about it.  It flies in the face of modern record-making.”

Cheat the Devil contains all originals with the exception of a unique interpretation of the classic song, “King Bee”.  Rosano’s favorite song on the new album is “Rosalita,” a song about a sailor missing his home.

“My daughter was learning about Christopher Columbus in school, and I started reading some stuff with her about how he wanted to bring musicians to entertain the guys and keep them out of trouble.  I thought it was an interesting concept for a song, a love letter from a musician who is sailing, writing back to his lady.  My intention in singing it now has changed a bit though.  To me it’s more about what I’m doing—leaving my family to go out in this new world with my guitar, trying to make a better life for us.  The lyrics don’t change, but my intention when I’m singing it has changed.”

As always, Rosano has written songs from the heart, incorporating his life experiences.  Cheat the Devil also contains two songs about Rosano’s evolving journey with sobriety.

“The song, ‘Sweet Little Devil” is about the little devil on your shoulder that says, ‘It’s been nine years buddy, you can certainly handle one beer!’.  ‘Sin City’ is very similar.  It’s about when you feel like you are going ‘mental’ and ready to just go back to Sin City, but ultimately realize it’s better that you moved on from Sin City in the end.  The title track, Cheat the Devil, is pretty straight forward.  I believe everyone is free to live life however they choose, as long as they realize giving in to temptation has a cost.”

Having just finished his tour opening for Benoit, Rosano is soon to be back on the road, opening for Humble Pie and Ace Frehley.  However, he was happy to learn that he has been invited to go back out on tour with Benoit in the Fall.  There are many similarities between the two of them, and Rosano enjoys the opportunity to learn from Benoit, and to join him for some impromptu jamming during the encores. Their unique chemistry is a magnificent experience to witness, and that double-bill is a pairing that fans will definitely not want to miss.

You can learn more about Anthony Rosano at www.conqueroos.com.

Writer Anita Schlank lives in Virginia, and is on the Board of Directors for the River City Blues Society. She has been a fan of the blues since the 1980s. She and Tab Benoit co-authored the book “Blues Therapy,” with all proceeds from sales going to the HART Fund.

Denise LaGrassa – The Flame

Self-Released

www.deniselagrassa.com

10 tracks/37 minutes

Blending blues, roots and Americana, rock and soul, The Flame continues the rite of passage for Denise LaGrassa. Her North of 40 video blog showcases her journey through her life after 40. Inspired by the closing of central Illinois’ Lincoln College, LaGrassa expanded her work writing songs and performing to replace her time at Lincoln teaching jazz studies. Her songs touch on social change and a better nation and world, with the hope that the spiritual part of each enough will be enough to make the world a better place.

LaGrassa handles the vocals and keyboards. Her band is Alexander Kleiner on guitar, Steven C. Manns on bass, and Mike Gee on drums. She has some top notch guests appearing, too, who are noted below.

The album begins with “Dawn of the New Day” and features Pierre Lacocque from Mississippi Heat on the harp. LaGrassa sings with authority about the revelatory changes coming and Lacocque blows some greasy and cool harp. “Love Is Like An Elevator” is a fun cut about how love just stops at every floor like and elevator and like a yoyo going up and down and stringing you along. Anne Harris plays fiddle here in a rootsy/American sort of cut with slide guitar and a cool country sound.

“Lucy Mae Blues” is up next, an acoustic cut with Denise and Kleiner on guitar, a stripped-down sound with nice finger picking and LaGrassa passionately giving it her all. Up next is “Right Step,” a funky cut about making choices.  Stinging guitar by John Kregor on this and some sultry vocals are featured here.

Ellen Miller adds her harp to “Better Day’s Coming,” mixing some roots into a blues rocker tune. Denise sings with power and conviction and the harp and band play with equal, forthright sound. “Wide Eyes” is next, a haunting and somewhat daunting cut.

“Amen To Happiness” follows with a funky and rootsy groove. LaGrassa sings and slide guitar accompanies her with this cut with a bouncing and vibrant feel. “Sewing Good Seeds” is a song that plays of the Biblical theme of sewing good seeds; it’s got a jazzy, soulful feel. This one also features a poignant electric guitar solo.

“Cut It Right Out” is a romping and jumping cut with acoustic guitar and a driving beat. LaGrassa gets down low in her vocals as she and the band rock it out through this one. More ringing guitar work is featured here. She concludes with “Judge a Little Less,” a song giving us advice not to be too judgmental. Funky and slick stuff, great guitar and a big cut to finish things off.

LaGrassa lets her faith and beliefs drive her songwriting. She showcases her ideas and delivers performances filled with the emotions she feels through the songs she has written. Her background is in jazz but here we see a side of her in rootsy blues rock and Americana where she and her band and guests give some very impassioned performances.

Blues Blast Magazine Senior writer 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.

Larry Taylor and The Taylor Family with The Soul Blues Healers – Generations of Blues; West Side Legacy

NOLA Blue Records

www.nola-blue.com

13 tracks

Eddie Taylor, Sr. and his wife Vera brought their blues from Mississippi to Chicago’s west side. They had eight children, five of which became musicians of note in their own rights. Larry invited the musical members of the family into the studio in 2015 and later 2017 with him and his band, the Soul Blues Healers, to reprise songs from their parent’s generation. Presented here for all to hear in celebration and dedication to what would have been Eddie Senior’s 100^th birthday on January 29 of this year. Larry handles some of the drums and Larry plays guitar; both sing.  They and sisters Brenda and Demetria take care of the vocals along with Larry’s son Dullah (Liljet2X) who raps on one track; his track was recorded in May. Brother Tim plays drums on the songs Larry doesn’t.

Lots of guests are also in support of the effort. Matthew Skoller adds his harp on four cuts. Abraham Avery and Michael “Sleepy” Riley share in the bass duties. Four guest guitarists and another four guest keyboardists support the effort and B.J. Emery (trombone) and Ronnie G (sax) are the horn section who appear on a number of tracks.

Things commence with Larry doing his own “She Treats Me Just The Same,” some straight up Chicago blues with Larry fronting the band and Joe Brinson playing some stinging guitar. Nice sax work and great overall effort! Their Dad’s “Take Your Hand Down” follows with Larry on vocals and Eddie Jr. on guitar. Skoller blows some mean harp here and there is some really good piano featured, too.

“Bad Girl” is another of their Dad’s cuts, with Demetria on vocals, Junior on guitar, some more nice piano and both horns. She sings with passion and the band jumps and swings nicely here. “I Feel So Bad” features Larry on vocals again along with Eddie Junior on guitar and Skoller on harp. The piano is there, too; another classic Chicago track done well with some jumping guitar and piano once again!

“I Found Out” features Brenda singing her mothers’ song; it’s a slow and sultry performance as Brenda sings with authority. The horns give good support and Junior handles the guitar nicely. Brenda also follows with a big rendition of J.B. Lenoir’s “Talk to Your Son” with a gender change from Lenoir’s original. Eddie does a sweet job on guitar and the trombone and sax stand out, too, and there is a well done organ solo to savor, too.

Demetria returns with Magic Sam’s “You Belong To Me.” She sings with her signature grit and emotions as the horns and Eddie’s guitar support her well. Senior’s “Big Town Playboy” is sung by Junior and he plays guitar, too. Skoller adds some great harp. There is also some super piano served up here, too.

Larry comes back next with his own “Penitentiary Blues.” Killer Ray Allison plays some funky guitar, the horns blow some cool stuff in support and there is a little organ so help the cause, too. Brinson returns to help Larry on Larry’s “I Paid My Dues” with the horns, organ and guitar all doing their jobs nicely.

Liljet2x gives us his “No Shine,” a slick rap with the third Taylor generation showing his chops. The guitar (Ice Mike Thomas), organ and drums help keep the rap flowing as Liljet2x both fronts and sings backup on the track. Larry’s Jump Down American Queen is up next; he leads a funky jam with the horns doing a super job and Allson nailing the guitar lead. The final cut is an cool instrumental “Larry & Eddie Jr. Groove (Blues In The Rain).” Junior’s guitar rings, Skoller’s harp sings and the piano flows with the great groove based on Eddie Senior’s song. It’s a sweet ending to a great family reunion. It’s a greasy and delightful cut!

The Taylor family does their mother and father proud with this baker’s dozen of cuts keeping the west side blues alive. Lover’s of great Chicago blues will truly enjoy this family blues affair!

Blues Blast Magazine Senior writer 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.

Charles Sawyer – B.B. King: From Indianola To Icon

Schiffer Publishing, Ltd

www.charliesawyer.pubsitepro.com

256 pages Hardcover edition

Given his prominence as a true legend of the blues, it is strange to realize that there are more books about learning B.B. King’s guitar style and licks than there are about the man himself. Author Charles Sawyer became the first writer to chronicle the guitarist’s life with his book released in 1980, The Arrival Of B.B. King. This second volume is billed as “A Personal Odyssey With The “King Of The Blues”,” focusing on a friendship that spanned more than 45 years.

The book is a treasure trove of photographs that the author took over the decades, many of them stunning close ups of King on stage or in moments of relaxation. Divided into two sections, the first details the start of their friendship while simultaneously documenting King’s steady climb that eventually brings him international fame. It began one night in 1968 at Lennie’s On The Turnpike, a club in Peabody, Massachusetts, where King was booked for a nine night run.

The star-struck Sawyer approached King on a break, and found the musician to be warm and friendly. The author returned each night, and quickly learned to deal with some of the challenges of photographing live performances. His photos of King in action show that he was a quick study. Sawyer also took advantage of every opportunity to sit and visit with King, taking notes and even recording some of their conversations, never thinking that he would one day put that material to good use.

Two year later, Sawyer caught up with King at the famous High Chaparral, a club on Chicago’s South Side. Sitting near the stage, the author had a clear view of the guitarist. The black & white images from that night leap off the page. One iconic shot, known as Redemption, serves as the book’s cover, with King on stage, arms outstretched, basking in the adulation of his fans. Also included are several photos of the clubs patrons.

Other chapters cover a night at Carnegie Hall with Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton and Aaron “T-Bone” Walker, captured in a beautiful photo in the midst of his performance, and a truly magical jam at the Jazz Workshop in Boston, where Sawyer’s lens found King sitting in with the James Cotton’s band, along with Paul Butterfield. Other highlights include performances at the Fillmore Auditorium in New York, followed by a performance on the Ed Sullivan Show, as King’s hit single, “The Thrill Is Gone,” was climbing the charts.

Whether giving readers a taste of life on the road, visiting with King’s father, or documenting King’s early years in Kilmichael, Mississippi, Sawyer’s notes and heartfelt descriptions in each chapter bring B.B. King, the person, into sharper detail, while his photos never fail to impress. Readers get a glimpse inside King’s Las Vegas home, and learn about his fascination with all things electronic. Another memorable event happens in 1978 at the Bottom Line club in New York City, where George Benson joined King on stage for a true summit meeting.

The second section of the book documents efforts by the author to get King’s life story captured in a screen play for a motion picture. He also delves into a misunderstanding that briefly soured their friendship. The “Playing With The King” chapter covers a time when Sawyer was teaching a course entitled, “History Of Blues In America,” at the Harvard Extension School. He arranged to have his friend attend a class, which grew the attendance to over 300 people. Since the author was leading the discussion with King on stage, the color photos of the event were taken by Don Mackey. It was a career highlight for the author.

Another key chapter provides readers with an account of the efforts to create and build a museum dedicated to King in Indianola, MS. Sawyer highlights key people in the process, and the challenges they faced, particularly securing funding to turn the dream into reality. He also recounts efforts filmmaker Jim Dollarhide to create a moving documentary about King’s life as told by his family and friends that would be a centerpiece in the museum, which opened in 2008 and added additional exhibition space in 2021. And Sawyer was there to say goodbye to his friend at King’s funeral procession down Beale Street in Memphis on May 27, 2015.

More than a biography, this book opens the door on a friendship for the ages. Sawyer paints a vivid picture of B.B. King, the man and the famous musician, through his outstanding photos mixed with his telling reminisces that sprang from their close friendship. Printed on high quality stock paper, it is a volume to treasure for years to come.

Blues Blast Magazine Senior writer 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 former 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!

Jeff Lowenthal and Robert Schaffner – Fleetwood Mac in Chicago – The Legendary Chess Blues Session

Schiffer Publishing

www.schifferbooks.com

176 Pages Hardcover Edition

It happened more than fifty years ago, a memorable recording session at the the Chess Records Studio that brought together an English blues band and some of the best Chicago blues musicians. The music captured during the nine hour session was released by as two volumes entitled Blues Jam In Chicago, on Blue Horizon Records in December, 1969.

The classic line-up for Fleetwood Mac included the phenomenal Peter Green on guitar and vocals. He was a true master of the blues, playing with enormous amounts of taste and emotion. The band also featured two other guitarists, the slide guitar whiz Jeremy Spencer and Danny Kirwan, who managed to get one of the finest vibrato tones from his guitar without any electronic enhancements. The rhythm section was comprised of Mick Fleetwood on drums and John McVie on bass, who would later achieve even greater fame with another version of the band.

Jeff Lowenthal was the proverbial “fly on the wall” that day, the lone photographer invited to be part of the session. Some of his photos were included on the original LP albums, as well as subsequent re-releases in a variety of formats. This new book makes available a treasure trove of his efforts, in color and B&W, many for the first time, highlighting a once-in-a-lifetime summit meeting.

In his “Foreword” that opens the book, producer and label owner Mike Vernon sets the stage, relating how plans came together for the band’s first US tour, which included a number of shows in Chicago. Sensing an opportunity, Vernon reached out to Willie Dixon for help in arranging for some of Chicago’s finest to join Fleetwood Mac in the studio. While some artists like Otis Rush and Magic Sam were not available, Dixon was able to secure commitments from Buddy Guy, the legendary piano player Otis Spann, noted drummer S.P Leary, harmonica master Big Walter “Shakey” Horton, David “Honeyboy” Edwards, tenor saxophonist J.T Brown, and Dixon himself on bass.

After brief remarks from producer Marshall Chess, Lowenthal uses his “Introduction” section to tell the story of how he ended up being the photographer that day, along with notes on the cameras he used and how he dealt with issues like the studio lighting. Finally, co-author Robert Schaffner shares his thoughts on Fleetwood Mac, their impact on his life, and his efforts, through this book, to share Lowenthal’s amazing work with a wider audience.

From that point, all readers have to do is sit back, turn the pages, and be whisked back in time as you marvel at image after image, like the striking two page shot of Green and Dixon, separated by an acoustic barrier. Then there is the color photo of Vernon talking with a seated Buddy Guy, cradling his guitar. Another classic shows Green, Spann, and McVie intently listening to a playback. A B&W shot captures Spencer talking with J.T Brown, who had played with slide guitar master Elmore James, who Spencer idolized.

Another page has two shots of Horton, Kirwan, and Green in the midst of laying down a track. Honeyboy Edwards looks at ease in a stunning profile shot. Another color photo showcases Green and his famous Gibson Les Paul Goldtop guitar during a momentary break in the action. There are several close-up shots of Otis Spann that vividly convey the depths of his artistry.

With over 100 photographs, there is plenty to take in and savor. Interspersed throughout the photos are comments from a variety of notables including Walter Trout, who gets emotional talking about Peter Green, Rick Nielsen from Cheap Trick, Joe Bonamassa, the late Kim Simmonds from Savoy Brown, several people associated with Hamer Guitars, with Founder Paul Hamer relating how one of Lowenthal’s photos of Green inspired him to pursue building better guitars. Leave it to Buddy Guy to make clear what that session, and the abiding interest in blues music by British musicians, meant to the blues artists toiling away in relative obscurity in Chicago.

This superb volume is a must have for those who treasure the music of the late 1960s version of Fleetwood Mac, and anyone who remains a fan of Peter Green. Spending time with this book opens a door to a bye-gone era. Turn up your stereo, play Blues Jam In Chicago, and let Lowenthal’s photographs immerse you in those magic moments!

Blues Blast Magazine Senior writer 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 former 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!

Gwyn Ashton – Mojosoul

Fab Tone Records

www.gwynashton.com

10 songs 38 minutes

Born in Wales, Gwyn Ashton grew up in South Australia, learning to play guitar at a young age. In the ensuing decades, he has traveled extensively, finally settling in the U.K. He has played in a variety of electric bands, including touring with Band of Friends, a Rory Gallagher tribute group. For his latest release, the 10^th under his name, Ashton utilizes a variety of guitars in addition to playing a number of percussive instruments, as he does his best to offer a modern, personal take on the acoustic Mississippi blues traditions.

The opening track, “By Your Side,” is a love song with a gospel-tinge sound that gives way to Ashton picking out some hard-bitten licks on a Harmony electric guitar with a fuzz tone. “No More” features his work on a 12 string guitar while singing about the woes of the modern age over a booming drum beat. Co-written with Garry Allen, “Take Your Medication” finds the guitarist on his  1930 era National steel guitar, his tightly drawn slide playing impressing more than the generic, repetitive lyrics.

Things pick up on “Vanish Into Thin Air,” with the guitar spinning a driving, hypnotic groove as Ashton laments his perplexion over a lost love. He then delivers a  tale of additional woe on “Allergic To Love,” finding himself unable to make a meaningful connection despite a self-help course with a book, video, and Blu-Ray DVD. The song’s rocking intensity and humorous viewpoint make it a standout track. “The Ballad Of Gwyn Ashton” is a talking blues that relates the details of his life over an easy-rolling five minutes, name-dropping some of his influences, finishing with the statement, “ ..the thrill ain’t never gone.”

Another highlight is “12,000 Miles From Home,” a track that channels a bit of Johnny Winter’s slide style on an acoustic guitar. It is a true blues saga about a 2019 Australian tour during which Ashton found himself fleeing a rash of bush fires, escaping only to run head-on into the nationwide Covid lockdown, stranding him indefinitely. The gentle ballad “Yesterday’s Me (Cool, Cool Water)” is another co-write with Allen, featuring some of Ashton’s best guitar work.

The guitarist gives his National a workout on “The Blues Should Take A Holiday,” making a valiant attempt to drive the blues from his door. He finishes the album with a solemn performance of “The Perfect Day To Sing The Blues,” complete with a haunting vocal and delicate slide picking. It is fitting conclusion to a record that showcases the various aspects of Ashton’s music, developed over decades of traveling the blues highway.

Blues Blast Magazine Senior writer 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 former 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!

Willie J. Campbell – Be Cool

Blue Heart Records 

http://www.blueheartrecords.com

15 Tracks – 69 minutes

Willie J. Campbell (June 19, 1957 – December 17, 2022) was born in Detroit. His mother was a huge fan of Motown music, which also captured Willie’s interest. James Jamerson was the session bass player for many of the 1960’s – 1970’s Motown songs and frequently was uncredited. Willie’s mother got him listening to the bass runs in those songs and Willie got hooked on becoming a musician. He stretched his music experience as he started listening to the blues greats such as BB King, Albert King, Johnny Winter and many others. He moved to Huntington Beach, California as a young boy where he continued to pursue music as a career. The cover of the album is a picture of the Huntington Beach pier, a place his wife, Lisa, cited as a place he visited frequently as a place of peace that he said touched his soul deeply. Lisa stated that “Be cool!” was a phrase that Willie frequently used and thus became an apt title for the album. 

Willie’s carrier was extensive and touched many performers. He performed as the regular bass player for The Fabulous Thunderbirds, The James Harman Band, The Mannish Boys, and more recently The Proven Ones. He was nominated several times for the Blues Foundation’s Blues Music Awards.  As Willie’s health continued to decline, his good friend and guitarist Kid Ramos arranged a recording session which he produced with Willie and Brian Templeton. The core group for the session were Willie on bass; Kid Ramos on guitar; Brian Templeton on lead and backing vocals, and harmonica; Jimi Bott on drums, percussion and tympani; and Brooks Milgate on keyboards. In addition, a vast array of guest performers joined in for an expression of love and appreciation for Willie. Guitarists Anson Funderburg, Mike Morgan and Shawn Pittman joined Ramos trading runs on multiple songs. The recording session was completed just eight weeks prior to Willie’s death from a terminal diagnosis of ALS.

The album opens with Sugaray Rayford guesting on vocals on “You Better Let Go”, a funky original dealing with the evils of materialism and declaring that “you can’t take it with you.” Jimmie Wood joins the core group on harmonica as Milgate’s piano drives a rocking “No More”. David Hidalgo provides vocals and guests on guitar alongside of Kim Wilson on harmonica for a cover of Los Lobos’ “This Time”.

Janiva Magness delivers a powerhouse emotional vocal performance on the slow blues as she just “Can’t Stay Away” ‘…from you”. “Drone” gets down into Hill country behind Ramos’ guitar, Templeton’s moaning vocals, and a greasy harp blown by Jason Ricci. The core group performs the instrumental “Docksidin'” which allows Willie’s bass to get out front with Bott’s groove and Milgate’s B3 sliding in.

The previously mentioned barrage of guitarists joins together on “My Fault”, originally performed by Rod Stewart and written by Stewart, Ron Wood, and Ian McLagan and turns the song into a Rolling Stones styled romp. The music slows down again as Templeton delivers the gospel styled “Forever Shall Be”, a testimony to his love.

Sax Gordon on tenor sax and Joe “Mack” McCarthy on horns leads a Jersey Shore R&B “Standby” with Sugar Ray Rayford again doing the lead vocals and Joe Louis Walker adding a solo guitar performance. Shawn Pittman sings that he has a “Devil on My Shoulder” and an “angel at my side” as he calls out Anson Funderburgh to provide a slinky guitar boogie and additional solos from Ramos, Kim Wilson on harmonica, and Pittman also adding acoustic guitar.

Ramos rocks out against Milgate’s barrelhouse piano in a Chuck Berry styled “She’s A Twister”. The gritty “One Man Chain Gang” features Jimmie Wood on vocals with Templeton adding harmonica and as Wood begs for a team of angels “to come down from heaven to set me free.” Kim Wilson returns on vocals and harmonica for a cover of New Orlean’s Huey P. Smith’s “You Can’t Stop Her”, a rock n’ roll classic.  Ramos and Templeton pack an emotional punch to the ballad “Use as Needed” as Brian sings that “I can be your escape…have no fear I am here.”

The album concludes with Peter Green’s instrumental “Albatross”, a fitting end that perhaps let you feel the tranquility Willie sought in his ventures onto the Huntington Beach pier. The end quote in the liner notes from Willie says “Love fully in the moment. Enjoy everyone and everything that you can, while you can”.

R.I.P. Willie – the album serves as a strong tribute to your talents and the people who became connected to you.

Writer John Sacksteder is a retired civil engineer in Louisville, Kentucky who has a lifelong love of music, particularly the blues. He is currently the Editor of the Kentuckiana Blues Society’s monthly newsletter.

Wolf Mail – The Wolf Is At Our Door

Kobalt Music Group

https://wolf-mail.com/

9 songs time – 36:51

Canadian singer-guitarist Wolf Mail treads mainly in blues-rock territory. His guitar playing ranges from noisy to eloquent. The bad news is, to put it nicely, that his “voice” is in tatters. It is gruff but weak. The lyric content is mainly typical blues macho posturing. His band is bass, drums and piano along with a few guest spots. They provide a solid foundation for the eight originals and one cover song.

“Bad As Blues” finds him singing in a seemingly altered and distorted voice. He unleashes some wicked slide guitar. You can hear snatches of what sounds like riffs borrowed from The Allman Brothers version of “Done Somebody Wrong”. The band gets funky on “Just In Time”. An infectious guitar line runs through “Don’t Fall Down”, a song about positivity. The pace is brought down on “When I’m Gone”, a blues-rock ballad.

Two instrumentals are included, the first being the upbeat and bluesy “Loner”. The closing one is “Albert’s Theme”, that features a great guitar tone and melody. Both are perfect showcases for Wolf’s guitar prowess.

The title song is heavy handed with plenty of slithering slide. That is intended as a compliment. “Arleen” is a through back to fifties kick-ass rock and roll as Mike Lattrell pounds the living daylights out of the “88s” alongside Wolf’s guitar energy. The sole cover song is the poignant “Like A Road” from the hands of Dan Penn and Don Mix. The Hendrix influenced guitar has the listener floating through the clouds.

His rough voice kind of grows on you after a while and at times it fits the mood of the song and his guitar playing aptitude helps the situation. Heavier music with the occasional slower interlude will appeal to many and the guitaring is of unquestionable quality. Blues-rock fans will have a field day with this release.

Reviewer Greg “Bluesdog” Szalony hails from the New Jersey Delta.

Dustin Douglas & The Electric Gentlemen – Black Leather Blues

MoMojo Records – 2023

www.dustindouglasmusic.com

10 tracks; 40 minutes

Black Leather Blues is the latest album from Pennsylvania trio Dustin Douglas & The Electric Gentlemen: Dustin Douglas on guitar/vocals, Matt ‘The Dane’ Gabriel on bass and Tommy Smallcomb on drums. Co-producer Paul Smith adds keys to several tracks and Nyke Van Wyk violin/strings to one. Music is by the band, lyrics by Dustin, with Bret Alexander, and is firmly at the rock end of the spectrum, typified by the opening blast of “Why Would You Say Such A Thing” with its pounding drums and powerful riffs and “Burnin’ Down” which finds Dustin hitting the wah pedal hard. Add to those elements Dustin’s rock singer vocals and you have some heavy duty rock here. “Good Love” has a bit of a ZZ Top feel, “Broken” is slower-paced and adds swirling keys to the muddy core riff, Dustin sounding overwhelmed by the relationship: “you got me burned down and weak, I can’t even speak”.

A more melodic approach comes with the acoustic intro to “Change” and reference in the lyrics to the blues: “Same old story, same old news – same old guitar that plays the blues”. The tune builds over organ washes before a cathartic guitar finale. The band rapidly returns to heavy drums and coruscating riffs on “What You See”, Dustin clearly double-tracking the guitars, as he does on most tracks. Both “C’est La Vie” and “Gonna Take This Train” are heavy rock numbers and “Do What You Gotta Do” has a tricky little riff at its core and reminded me of vintage Aerosmith, especially the chorus. The final track “Barely Holding On” is a rock ballad with acoustic guitar, strings and keys, well sung by Dustin who adds a blistering electric solo to the extended coda, making an impressive end to the album.

There is little or no actual blues here but the band plays well on an all-original program of music, so if you like Rock and plenty of guitars, this may be one to check out.

Blues Blast Magazine Senior writer 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.

Lady A – Satisfyin’

Lady A Productions, 2021

https://ladyababyblues.com

10 songs, 44 minutes

Seattle-based powerhouse, Lady A, has a voice that jumps out and speaks to your soul.  Her latest release, Satisfyin’, delivers inspiring positivity as well as sharing some down-home storytelling that evokes wonderful visual images.  Lady A co-wrote six of the ten songs on the album, and John Oliver III wrote or co-wrote nine of the ten, and also contributed his talent on drums, bass, keyboards and backing vocals.  Several of the songs encourage us to live in the moment and recognize all for which we are grateful.  The opening number, “Whatever You Do”, prompts us to “seize the moment, don’t waste your life away…sing from your soul.  The words you sing can make somebody whole!”  The funky title track echoes that sentiment, noting that “you ought to live it to the fullest and make sure it’s satisfyin’”.  Lady A reinforces positivity for one’s body image with “Big Momma,” during which she notes, “I’m big and beautiful, I can’t wear a size 10.”  And she pays tribute to Rosetta Stone, Nina Simone, Betty LaVette and many others in “Blues on my Mind”.

“Miss Beula Mae” tells an intriguing story of a venue owner who “wore a size 22…her wig might be crooked, but she takes care of business.  In her bosom she carries a switchblade.  Don’t bring no drama.  I told you—Miss Beula don’t play!”  The sound of the crowd clinking dishes as they eat, and Lady A reminiscing about times Miss Beula proved she “don’t play” are a wonderful ending to this track.  “Blues, Soul, Catfish and Fried Wings” offers an equally inviting image and likely makes the listeners wish they had grown up in Lady A’s hometown.

One reference to her legal battle with country band Lady Antebellum is referenced in “For the People in the Back” as she relates how “they tried to take my name”.  And a hopeful, gospel feel is found in both “Brighter Day” and “Heaven Help Us”.

Overall, this is an interesting and uplifting album that will not only have the listeners admiring Lady A’s stunning vocals, but also hanging on to every word of the lyrics as well.

Writer Anita Schlank lives in Virginia, and is on the Board of Directors for the River City Blues Society. She has been a fan of the blues since the 1980s. She and Tab Benoit co-authored the book “Blues Therapy,” with all proceeds from sales going to the HART Fund.

Joyann Parker – Roots

Hopeless Romantic Records

http://www.joyannparker.com

13 tracks – 49 minutes

Joyann Parker grew up in Mellen, Wisconsin. She taught herself to play the guitar and started studying classical piano at age four. She earned a degree in instrumental education from the University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse. She then moved to Minneapolis where she briefly taught music in elementary schools. After another stint as a stay-at-home mom, she became an assistant to Mark Lamoine, a lawyer, who ultimately became the guitarist in her band and her-co-writing partner.

Joyann grew up listening to country and classic rock music. She initially did a Patsy Cline Tribute show which won the top prize at the Midwest Country Music Awards. She also had a revue, Classic Ladies of Country, featuring songs from female country stars from the 1950’s to the 1970’s.  But after discovering Muddy Waters, followed by Robert Johnson, and then many more blues influences, she turned her interests to blues music. Her band, Joyann Parker and Sweet Tea, represented the Minnesota’s Blues Society in the 2015 International Blues Challenge.

Roots is her third album release. The core performers are Joyann on guitar, keyboards and vocals, Mark Lamoine on guitar and backing vocals, Tim Wick on keyboards, Chris Bates on bass, and Bill Golden on drums and percussion. All songs on the album are originals.

The album opens with the rocking title song as she declares ” I put my roots down, down in the ground” and she has to make sure they are solid after being “upended by the hurricanes of life”. “Faintly optimistic” sounds like a song Bob Seger might have written as Mark performs a duet with her as he declares “this time we might make it” and she responds, “we will have to wait and see”.

Things slow down with “Wash It Away”, a moving, soulful song identifying how she hopes to turn her life around after acknowledging that “the pain is going to come, and the rain is not going to wash it away.” That is followed by “Closing Someone Else’s Blinds” as she “does not want to lose you…but we’re all out of time”, and “it is killing me to be your back-up plan.” “What’s Good for You” gets thing rocking again as she identifies “I’m a tornado, boy, and I just can’t help but destroy everything in my path.” You don’t know what’s good for you, but I know it’s not me”.

“Juxtaposition” is a smooth reggae with guest Scott Graves on trombone and she notes “You’re so mixed up, can’t keep your stories straight.” “Old Flame” continues with a quiet, jazz feel with Steve Roehm adding marimba and again “I just feel the pain whenever I see you.” She continues with a flamenco feel with “Ain’t Got Time to Cry” and “I ain’t gonna let you lie to me one more time”. Paul Odegaard accents the song with his trumpet.

A slide guitar opening drives the blues number “Forsaken” as she cries to the heavens “Everybody left me here on my knees”. “He has taken the soul from me”.  “Miss Evangeline” jumps into the country with Chris Silver on mandolin. “You made a promise, now you’re gonna keep it. You’ll break her heart, but mine was first in line. My daddy’s shotgun ain’t real patient.” She slows things down again with the keyboard led “Going Under” as Joyann sings that she has “Nothing left but sleep, nothing left to keep”.

“Stay Home Mama” has a New Orleans feel as she gets up at 6:00 AM as “Mama needs a little time to herself, before having to give to everyone else”. This is a fun song about the travails of a woman having to stay home with her kids who “cannot even go to the bathroom by yourself”. Scott kicks in on trombone again as she clearly delivers the blues of a woman who has no time for herself. The song ends with the son proclaiming, “I pooped”. She ends on a positive note celebrating Wisconsin on “Sconnie Girl”, as she states “I was raised to speak my mind. Work real hard, and still be real kind. Ain’t nothing better than a Wisconsin girl”.

Joyann delivers clear and powerful vocals on every song, sometimes bringing to mind the vocals of Ann Wilson from Heart, particularly on the harder rocking songs. As recited above, many of the songs are dealing with a failed relationship. As such they could be considered as something of a downer, but somehow Joyann’s power leads you in the belief that she is conquering that loss and ready to move on. And the lyrics are certainly written in an intriguing and sometimes fun way.

Writer John Sacksteder is a retired civil engineer in Louisville, Kentucky who has a lifelong love of music, particularly the blues. He is currently the Editor of the Kentuckiana Blues Society’s monthly newsletter.