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Cover photo © 2024 Peter Hurley In This Issue Peter Hurley has our feature interview with Sheryl Youngblood. We have six Blues reviews for you this week including new music from Blood Brothers, Big D & Captain Keys, An Díaz and Yokatta Brothers, Omar And the Howlers, The Liam Ward Band and The Jake Leg Jug Band. Our Video of the Week is Gabe Stillman Band (with Anson Funderburg). Scroll down and check it out! |
Featured Blues Review – 1 of 6
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12 songs, 1 hour 18 minutes You might be a music critic if… you create a playlist of a band’s new live album with the studio versions and play each song, studio to live, in sequence. That’s what your intrepid reviewer did with Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia’s new Blood Brothers Live in Canada, and it was a gratifying listen. A document of one night of the raucous Blood Brothers tour that has continued to accompany the early 2023 correspondingly named studio album, Live in Canada is a looser, more emotive presentation of the Blood Brothers music. The core band is the same on studio album and live show: Mike Zito – vocals/guitars; Albert Castiglia – vocals/guitars; Doug Byrkit – bass guitar; Matt Johnson – drums/percussion; Ephraim Lowell – drums/percussion; and, Lewis Stephens – piano/organ. The band not only recreates the music from the album, but like good road musicians, have clearly been living the music. It is a skill that touring musicians have to have to keep the music you have played literally hundreds of times fresh and vibrant. This crack unit does it effortlessly. There is such joy and spontaneity, it sounds like the first time these guys have ever played together. But, these talented musicians also have such connection and interplay the listener feels enveloped by their mastery and comforted by the capability. The set list of Live in Canada is the same as the album save only omitting the studio album’s acoustic turned jam closer “One Step Ahead of the Blues.” There is also the live addition of one Zito solo trademark and an absolutely incendiary cover. There are none of the horn flourishes or female backup singing on the live album. But, what this live record lacks in studio finish it more than triumphs in power, energy and interplay. Zito and Castiglia are well suited partners. Their styles are complimentary. Zito has a polish and fluidity that has made his Blues shine and sparkle even when they are full of gut bucket dirt. Castiglia has a raw and powerful delivery that has made his Blues the next step in the evolution of the type of Chicago informed Blues Rock his old boss Junior Wells helped create. In the live setting, Castiglia delivers his features like “You’re Gonna Burn” and “A Thousand Heartaches” with an unhinged exuberance that the more sterile studio setting couldn’t capture. Zito soars and swoops to dramatic heights in highlights “In My Soul” and “My Business” that the studio didn’t have the head room for. These guys are GUIT-TAR players too. Swapping sides of the speakers from the studio record, Zito is in your left ear and Castiglia in the right. In total sync Zito with his bright up front Fender tone and Castiglia with his maniacal dark Gibson wailing blast through instrumental “Hill Country Jam.” Zito’s signature solo tune “Gone To Texas” gets turned into an almost 10 minute Allman Brothers reverie resplendent with a comping of “Mountain Jam.” This is really a dream co-lead guitar front. Live in Canada ends with a cover of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World.” This encore to the set is a fitting final message. Absolutely melting your speakers with guitar interplay and vocal harmony, the co-leaders stand and deliver a message of hope and concern. There is a kind of Blues Rock that influenced generations of music. Zito and Castiglia are in every way the masters and leading proponents of this music. These two powerhouse solo performers show again that they are also sensitive artists who can make room for each other, draw the audience into a shared communion and preach about the healing redemption Blues and Rock have for us all. Writer Bucky O’Hare is a slide guitarist, songwriter and singer. Based out of South Eastern Massachusetts, Bucky plays Slide Guitar Soul Jazz and Funk Blues inspired by the music of the 60’s and 70’s all around New England. |
Blood Brothers – Live in Canada
Featured Blues Review – 2 of 6
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2023, Donor Productions 15 Tracks, 54 minutes Big D and Captain Keys (Nico DeCock and Edwin Risbourg) are two members from the Belgian-based band, The BluesBones. They have indicated that they formed this duo to play some intimate shows for audiences that want to hear songs in the purist way possible. With just a piano, an occasional Cabasa, and their voices, it could be a difficult task to hold the listener’s attention for an entire album. However, with a few expertly written originals and great choices for cover songs, they definitely accomplished their goal. The album opens with a soulful version of “Every Day I Have the Blues” and is followed by a wonderful, jazzy version of St. James Infirmary. The remaining covers include other classics, like “The Dock of the Bay,” “Crossroads”, “Have a Little Faith in Me,” and “Bring it on Home to Me”, as well as Chris Stapleton’s “Whiskey and You” and three carefully chosen songs from the extensive career of the brilliant composer/poet Tom Waits (“Picture in a Frame,” “Ol’ 55,” and “New Coat of Paint”). Risbourg’s skill as a pianist is especially evident in the original song they co-wrote, “Demon Blues”. And the writing and vocals in “Broken Tears” is outstanding. That song is about homelessness and manages to capture both the despair and desperation of homelessness as well as the hope the singer is trying to instill. “Life isn’t easy when you’re on your own. An entirely different emotion is skillfully expressed in Risbourg’s song, “Betrayal”. In it he notes, “No more cheating on me. They end the album with a much more upbeat original that appears to be at least partly autobiographical, entitled “Seesaw Blues”. The only relatively weak areas on this album are that there seems to be a lack of connection to the emotion of the song in their version of Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads,” and the backing vocals on “Bring it On Home to Me” seem to be not the best match with the style offered by the lead vocals. However, overall, this is an excellent album. Listeners are likely to be both impressed with the musical talent of DeCock and Risbourg, and also transfixed by their original lyrics. 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. |
Big D & Captain Keys – Tales of Friendship|
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Featured Blues Review – 3 of 6
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Yokatta Blues YR2301 10 songs – 34 minutes Producing an all-original mix that reproduces the sound of first-generation blues to open before moving slowly to deliver a contemporary sound, An Díaz and the Yokatta Brothers celebrate victory over tragedy on this album, a follow-up to their successful Between Two Worlds 2018 CD, which put them on the map internationally after two previous EPs of covers. The group’s a unique pairing of Díaz, an in-your-face, gospel-trained vocalist Buenos Aires, Argentina-born vocalist now based in Paris with a propulsive trio who hail from the north of France and are steeped in the sounds of New Orleans. Put them together and you get an interesting, hard-to-define roux that delivers a consistent tip-of-the-hat to bygone eras while modern sounds with a decided edge. Consistent prize winners in France, they took home the Heroes Challenge award at the Retro C’est Trop Festival and the Polish Prize at the Mississippi Blues Trail Challenge at the Cahors Blues Festival in 2023 after winning multiple honors at other fests in the past. An doubles on kazoo here along with her “brothers” — Manuslide on guitars and harp, Stéphane Bihan on upright and electric bass and Julien Mahieux on percussion — all of whom contribute backing vocals. The album’s title honors Díaz’s painter sister Alana — who took her own life around the time of release of the band’s first full-length effort – along with the healing power of the blues, which enabled An to overcome her loss. “Spiral Up” opens the action with the country blues feel of early superstar Tommy Johnson and the languid vocal phrasings of Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith as An announces “there’s plenty of room to grow and many, many places to go” to find peace of mind. Manuslide’s steady finger picking drives the tune forward atop a steady two-four rhythm. It gives way to “Laugh It Off,” a sprightly number that comes with a ‘30s feel and delivers a tip of the hat to Tampa Red and Sonny Boy Williamson I and advises the need to use humor in the face of life’s difficulties. “Fall in Lust” moves the feel up a decade. It’s a torch song styled after the music of Dinah Washington that offers a lover the chance to see what the singer can do. The band’s Big Easy roots surface in the electric “Can’t Stop Now,” a ‘50s-style number that honors the musical diversity of the city while tossing a little shine on Bo Diddley, too, through the distinctive beat. Putting the past in the past, An and the boys finish the disc in style with their own hybrid, electrified sound. “Gone Away” opens the set quietly with An and Manuslide in the spotlight throughout before “Make ‘em Count” kicks things into high gear atop a funky beat as the singer wonders what they have to do to avoid wasting time. The song features a tasty, un-credited sax solo. “Trop Forte” – French for “too strong” – offers a confidence boost, stating that you’ve got more power than you might suspect to overcome the roadblocks in your way. The medium-tempo “No Risk” drives steadily forward while announcing support for someone who feels lost A bass run opens “Y.O.K.A.T.T.A.” It’s funky number in which all of the principals are featured on mic and delivering lyrics chockful of personal memories, not-so-inside jokes and more, all of which combine to express their joy at overcoming adversity. A duo version of “No Risk” brings the album to a powerful close. Don’t attempt to pin down this disc to any one style, but give it a listen. It’s an interesting mix of new and old that you’ll enjoy. Blues Blast Magazine Senior writer Marty Gunther has lived a blessed life. Now based out of Mason, Ohio, his first experience with live music came at the feet of the first generation of blues legends at the Newport Folk Festivals in the 1960s. A former member of the Chicago blues community, he’s a professional journalist and blues harmonica player who co-founded the Nucklebusters, one of the hardest working bands in South Florida. |
An Díaz and Yokatta Brothers – AlanaVideo Of The Week – Gabe Stillman Band
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This video is Gabe Stillman Band (with Anson Funderburg) performing “Tell Me What I Want To Hear” at Don Odell’s Legends in 2023. (Click image to watch!) Gabe Stillman is performing at the Winter Blues Fest in Des Moines, IA on Saturday, February 10th, 2024. For tickets and info on this great Blues event visit https://cibs.org or click on their ad in this issue! |
Featured Interview – Sheryl Youngblood
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Upbeat, positive but introspective, recent Delmark Records’ artist Youngblood is currently celebrating her newly released digital single titled “Every Single Day of Your Life” as a tribute to its writer, Jimmy Johnson. Recorded live during the label’s 70th Anniversary All-Star Band gig at Evanston S.P.A.C.E., the song about making every minute count is a perfect representation of her outlook. “I want to put out the best music possible and I want my music to touch people all over the world. With God’s help it will!!” Since the single’s launch in December of ‘23, Youngblood is finishing up a new full-length CD with production support from Mississippi Heat’s Pierre Lacocque, scheduled to drop in ’24. “I’m enjoying being in the studio with great musicians and I‘m excited when I see things come together.” Youngblood’s childhood in Joliet is steeped in music. Her mother, Gwendolyn Youngblood was the leader of a Gospel group, The Royal Harmonetts at Mt. Zion Baptist Church. For many years, young Sheryl literally sat at her feet while her mama played piano at home. As she grew a little older she picked up the keyboards on her own, playing the church organ or piano while her mother and deacon father joined meetings after services. “For as long as I can remember, I’ve been in the church. As a child, I paid close attention to all musicians including my mother who was an exceptional vocalist and pianist. The first instrument I remember playing was the piano as I sat with my mother while she instructed me on how to play.” And since her brother played drums on a kit at home it was only natural that she picked them up too. “During the course of me playing the organ, I began playing on my brother’s snare drum. I started thinking the organ was more challenging and time consuming. So, a drummer was born!” Once recruited by the church’s minister of music to sit in on drums when the regular percussionist was a no-show, she continued to flourish in the ensemble as a brilliant time-keeper.
This broad range of styles had served Ms. Youngblood well and, with the encouragement of Spaniels’ bassist, Billy Shelton, Sheryl went out on her own to form two all-women groups: Ultimately Blessed and a still thriving rousing funk and r&b show band called SAYYES! Currently her freshly inked contract with Delmark Records has opened up more possibilities for this gifted and seasoned and artist. “Having a record label contract is exciting, helpful and a blessing. Things happen at the time they are supposed to,” Ms. Youngblood enthused in a recent conversation. As positive as this experience has been, Sheryl did approach the prospect with some trepidation. “I had always been fearful of signing with a record company because of all the horror stories I had heard. Now, I know a little more and I am grateful to God that I waited until I was comfortable. For me, a record label can help take some things off my plate because I work a lot. Most musicians love their craft but the other stuff that goes along with it can be challenging: promotion, distribution, marketing, and selling.” “Many parts of the business can be taxing. I feel that partnering with Delmark can only help! Julia Miller and Elbio Barilari (CEO and Artistic Director respectively) have been great to work with because I get to be creative and my thoughts are important to them. I am so grateful they took a chance on me.” Monetary resources are a struggle in the life of most musical artists and Sheryl has had her share. “I’ve been planning a CD for some time, now; I have lots of lyrics in my notebooks that I really would love to shape with recording. My problem has been cash, money, dinero – the lack thereof.” “I’m a musician and I work a lot but my earnings go toward my living expenses. To record, money is needed to pay for musicians, studio time, mixing mastering and so forth. Lack of it has been a great obstacle in being able to put it all down. I have helped some musicians with their recordings by collaborating on lyrics, singing and playing drums.” “Though this is my job, I don’t always expect to be paid. But then, I have never felt comfortable to ask any of my fellow musicians to go in the studio with me when I didn’t have the cash to pay them,” she related. Not all of Youngblood’s recording experiences have been as upbeat.
Others have been a mix of good and bad. “Before my new digital single, my real last complete session was around 2010-11 when I recorded the great Etta James song ‘At Last’ (by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren.) I added my special take to the ending of the song, which goes over well with the audience. I wrote the ending for anyone who’s in a relationship because everyone needs to know that communication, compassion, compromise and cooperation are vital keys in a relationship. Re-recording that song was costly, time consuming and the engineer I was working with did not consider my input on these tracks. I didn’t like my vocals and he insisted that we use the scratch vocal. Not being confrontational I just went along with it even after spending lots of money.” Discussion of Sheryl’s new project brings a change of tone and she focuses on her keen interest in the recording process with a more positive spin. “I am currently in the studio recording with a band that I sometimes tour with: Mississippi Heat. This experience has been educational, enlightening and enjoyable. I have received a much clearer understanding of the recording process and how it works. Well, how it should work. To get from A-Z is a process. This current studio experience is helping me know how I will approach my next venture.” She goes on to explain what some of that entails. “I am, indeed, a songwriter with a catalogue of songs waiting to be recorded! Yes, I have collaborated with others as previously mentioned. I’m really good with performing originals especially when the audience is receptive. I remember doing an impromptu original song when the audience started screaming “That’s a Grammy song!” right there at the Grammy Awards! I also love performing standards that people know and can get into, but let’s keep it real: there is nothing like people jamming to one’s own music and lyrics!” On the theme of her current CD, Youngblood’s emphasis on deep personal expression characterizes her m.o. “My vision for my next CD is to be so memorable, that it goes down in history. My theme is “It’s about me!” she exclaims. “I don’t have a working title, yet, though I do have some ideas in mind not ready to share. I want the new group of songs to communicate my compassion, my struggles, my vision and my life.” When further asked to describe her musical path and assorted inspirations, Sheryl reflects back. “Of course, singing came first, because any child growing up in the church started singing by belting out those hymns and then getting in the children’s choir,” “Listening to my mom sing intimidated me because her vocals were so exceptional. I would just sing kind of low. She was my biggest influence. Gosh, if you had only heard her voice! After my mother comes Pastor Isaac Singleton Sr. in terms of influence. From there, Michael Jackson, Prince, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Aretha Franklin, Patty LaBelle, Gladys Knight, Minnie Riperton, Ella Fitzgerald were impactful, and the list goes on and on and on and on! I have learned something from each and every one of these vocalists. ” “My father, my brothers and sister are my strongest other-than-musical influences. Being the baby of the family, I have learned something from each and every one of them, whether it be how to stand up straight, how to be hard, how to be soft, how to speak, how to listen—each one of them has contributed greatly to my being who I am.”
“I like a lot of the blues artist like, of course, Koko Taylor for multiple reasons: she was a female band leader, she wrote a good number of her own songs and she was one of the very few female vocalists that the guys would call on to perform with them.” “BB King, Buddy Guy, Tyrone Davis, Bobby Blue Bland, Bobby ‘Slim’ James, Bobby Rush, Johnny Taylor, Artie ‘Blues Boy’ White, Otis Clay, Denise LaSalle, Big Time Sarah and Sister Rosetta Tharpe are a few others.” Youngblood’s enthusiasm is infectious and moves her to dance when in front of a driving band. “What I do on stage comes from the heart — it’s not rehearsed and not made up. ” “It’s impromptu,” she says adamantly. “Some things I do on stage I just do. And when I get the audience’s response, I keep it in my show. For example, when I started drumming on the mic stand, the response was so overwhelming it’s now a part of my performance. My stage craft comes from the audience!” “When the sound mix on stage is on point, the band is on fire, tight, grooving and jelling off of each other and it’s thunderous, the band vibes are great, the audience is receptive, and participating and we are all having a GRRRRReat time….!! Those are my best moments on stage.” Youngblood’s talents go beyond her musical and vocal expertise as she is also a powerful band leader. “I have an idea of how I want a band to look and sound. Having that idea, I set out to pull together musicians with that in mind. Being a female band leader came with a lot of push-back from some musicians and, because of it, I made it my business to stick and stay. Leading a band is not easy. Those who think it is have never done it. To quote Forrest Gump: ‘That’s all I have to say about that!!’ ‘’ Keeping it real and down to earth is Sheryl Youngblood’s stock-in-trade and her propensity for exuding positive vibes on and off the stage is her calling card. Saying YES has put Sheryl’s hard-earned career on the rise. And she is destined for many more YES moments! “With God’s help they’ll come,” she affirms. “As long as we continue to do what we do and love what we do, the Blues and all other styles of music will live on healthy and strong.“ Visit Sheryl’s website at https://sherylyoungbloodband.com/ Journalist Peter Hurley is a noted Chicago Blues writer and photographer. Mr. Hurley’s passion for Blues music and its accompanying photography was first inspired by the 1960s albums Chicago Blues Today Vol. 1, Jr. Wells’ It’s My Life, Baby and the Chess Records Little Walter compilation Hate To See You Go. |
To hear and see vocalist, drummer and keyboardist Sheryl Youngblood perform is to be dazzled by her talent and uplifted by her soulful treatments of Blues, Gospel and R&B. Up-tempo numbers are body-shaking tent revival-esque, while her sorrowful bluesy numbers walk a redemptive road from sadness towards elation. Many old timers have declared that singing the blues was a way out of the blues. Owing to Sheryl’s vivacious performing style, one is absolutely catapulted from the start.
The church experience helped her singing too, as a children’s choir was her first foray into the public arena. At age 13 or 14, she formed her own girl-group Sisters, in which she sang and played organ. Sheryl’s territory expanded in her late teens by trekking to Chicago for gigs with blues artists such as Roy Hytower, Otis Clay, Artie “Blues Boy” White and Bobby “Slim” James. An eventual permanent move resulted in a Grammy Award with Rev. Milton R. Brunson and the Thompson Community Singers and even a stint with Chicago classic doo-woppers, The Spaniels.
“In 2008-09 I collaborated with a friend on lyrics, singing lead and background vocals. I drove back and forth out of town to a friend’s house to lay tracks down but when it came time to mix and master them, he never finished it. The music was just left in limbo. All that time spent, and the travel and collaboration were in vain,” she mused ruefully.
Youngblood doesn’t use the word ‘heroes,‘ per say.
Featured Blues Review – 4 of 6
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Big Guitar Music 11 tracks/42 minutes It’s been six years since we heard from Omar Kent Dykes. A muscular disorder in both arms has prevented him from playing guitar, but in May 2023, he ventured into the studio and laid down ten original tracks and one Bo Diddley cover. Dykes has been a guitar lover since age ten and formed his own band with he on lead guitar in 1963, three years later. His Mississippi roots in the blues has been his passion and, having grown up in the same town, Bo Diddley is one of his musical icons. Dykes joined the Howlers in the 1970’s and they all ventured out to Austin, TZ in 1976. It didn’t take long for his iconic voice and guitar for the band to become Omar and the Howlers. Dyke’s bio likens his voice to, “Something like a grizzly bear on steroids.” They recorded their first album in 1980 and now have recorded 34 albums with this release. He cannot perform live due to his medical issues, but he’s back with new studio projects so there is more to come. He also has published three books with his wife and a fourth is on the works. The Howlers are now Eve Monsees on lead guitar, Jason Crisp on bass (a long-time howler) and some guitar here and there, Mike Buck on drums (Fabulous T-Birds and others), and Nico Leophonte (who engineered the album) on percussion. Kentucky Headhunter guitarist Greg Martin adds his licks to “Gator Man.” Dykes sings lead, plays some guitar on a few cuts and adds some nice harp to a cut. The album opens with “Bad Monkey,” and it is quickly obvious that the grizzly bear growls even more than ever. The vocals are dirty, mean and gritty. He and his Howlers grind out some rocking blues as he howls about a monkey with an attitude. I don’t know who the bad monkey is that he’s referring to, but he doesn’t like him! “When Push Comes To Shove” is a jumping cut with more dazzlingly grimy vocals and a nice little guitar groove and soloing. Next up is a cut about “Clarksdale, Mississippi,” where Dykes takes us down home to the Delta. It’s a cool, slow blues with electric guitar and resonator to savor. “Gator Man” follows, a driving piece with wicked, swampy licks along with deep, gravelly vocals. Great stuff! The Bo Diddley tracks is next, “Crackin’ Up.” It features some Bo Diddley styled-guitar riffs with Omar’s signature vocals. Age has made them even more down and filthy and it’s quite cool. “Lone Star Boogie” gets the listener ready to dance as Dykes growls about the Lone Star State and the band lays out a sweet boogie. More simian references are offered up with “Thousand Pound Gorilla,” another monkey on Omar’s back. Slow, delightful blues are the order of the day with this cut. “The Runnin’ Man” lets Dykes and the band give us another slick Bo Diddley beat to savor; fun stuff. “Hidin’ Out In Memphis” is next, another slow and grimy cut that Omar delights in, as will the listener. Dykes sings about avoiding the law in this down and dirty blues. Ringing guitar licks abound and Dykes growls as few can. The pedal gets closer to the floor as the Howlers shuffle along with “Lover Man.” A sweeter cut, Dykes sings about all the women he’s chased, loved and left (and lived through). The final track is “No Peace In The City,” a bit of a slow cha-cha as Dykes sings about the demise of urban life. More cool guitar and solos and it’s just a nice wrap up to a great album. Dykes sings with the passion he always has. His vocals have gotten deeper, darker and even grittier that the past 50 odd-years of performing, but he still can bring it and draw the listener in with his growling, ursine sound. The Howlers are alive and well- kudos to Omar Kent Dykes returning to what he loves best and making some outstanding music for us. We should all be glad he’s back! 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. |
Omar And the Howlers – What’s Buggin’ You?
Featured Blues Review – 5 of 6
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Green Bullet Records 10 songs – 47 minutes A former National Harmonica League player of the year based out of Gloucestershire, England, Liam Ward is one of the busiest musicians in the United Kingdom, fronting his own band, while teaching masterclasses, writing content for Harmonica World, Blues Matters and Blues in Britain and working as a session player and with four other artists, too. Firmly believing that blues is the best medicine, he lays down an inspirational message on his latest CD, all of the proceeds of which are going to the Stroke Association, the British charity that supports survivors and their families, in memory of his father. Since making his debut with the album, Uprising, in 2018, Liam has proven himself to be a polished, unconventional performer who has a soulful, modern sound that’s truly his own. His foundation comes from the harp legends of the past, but he incorporates a little West Coast swing and R&B to push the standard boundaries. A dedicated family man who grew up influenced by his dad’s extensive record collection and the sounds dominating both sides of the Atlantic, Ward began writing some of the lyrics that appear here after his father’s passing in 2009. He handles crystal-clear lead vocals throughout this all-original set, which features the voices of his sisters, Helen Hart and Bryony-Rose Ward, in a backing role. Recorded at Crescent Studios in Swinton, England, he’s backed by Malcolm Thorne on guitar, Zach Barnett on bass, piano and organ and Joe Harris on percussion, all of whom provide solid backing while giving Liam plenty of room to shine. “I Got Lucky” kicks off the action with a red-hot harp intro before settling almost immediately into a sprightly shuffle as Liam describes escaping blame for an unspoken misstep and crediting the heavens up above for his escape. Thorne lays down a brief, tasty break before the tune evolves into stop-time mode to conclusion. The contemporary blues, “Stone in My Shoe,” swings steadily as it uses the metaphor to describe someone who’s causing the singer grief before giving way to Ward’s extended harp runs mid-song. The guitar opens “What’s Your Alibi?,” which finds Liam wandering out at night and discovering a lady’s committed a misdeed he believes has to be set right. It’s a stripped-down number to open before another smoking harp break, this time with some high-end magic. It gives way to “500 Dollar Bail,” a rock-steady shuffle that recounts being locked up in Louisiana without money to set himself free. Ward stresses the urgency of the situation through a brief, but plaintive solo atop a repeated guitar hook. The title tune “Shine” opens with a Bo Diddley beat, celebrates family and pays tribute to Ward’s dearly departed before yielding to “What I Need,” a bright little dance number with Harris’ drums high in the mix and fueled by Barnett keys before giving Thorne another chance to shine. The longest song it the set at nine-plus minutes, the dirge-like ballad “Everything’s Gonna Be Fine” has an upbeat title but a somber, but positive unspoken message about togetherness and loss. “Pack Your Sense of Humour” brightens the mood instantly to follow. It’s set to a boogie beat as it serves up a bit of advice. Two more tunes — “Do What You Do,” a light-and-airy, syncopated pleaser – and “Give It All Up for You” – Ward alone on the low end of the reeds and vocals – bring the disc to a close. Not your usual two-four, one-four-five blues, Shine will leave you with a grin. Buy this one and put a smile on your face and someone else’s, too! Blues Blast Magazine Senior writer Marty Gunther has lived a blessed life. Now based out of Mason, Ohio, his first experience with live music came at the feet of the first generation of blues legends at the Newport Folk Festivals in the 1960s. A former member of the Chicago blues community, he’s a professional journalist and blues harmonica player who co-founded the Nucklebusters, one of the hardest working bands in South Florida. |
The Liam Ward Band – Shine
Featured Blues Review – 6 of 6
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Green Bullet Records – 2023 12 tracks: 45 minutes Hello Central is the eighth album from The Jake Leg Jug Band, a trio of UK musicians who, according to their website, play “the authentic sounds of 1920s and 1930s America—jazz, blues, ragtime, and gospel—through songs of murder, betrayal, gambling, liquor, and redemption.” All the songs on Hello Central are cover tunes, many easily recognizable even with the band’s unique arrangement twists. The Jake Leg Jug Band’s current lineup includes: Duncan Wilcox, vocals and double bass; Liam Ward, vocals, harmonica, jug, washboard, kazoo, and saw; and the band’s newest recruit, Warren James, on vocals, guitar, and banjo. Joining the Jake Leg trio on Hello Central are: Alex Clarke on saxophone and clarinet, Andy Henderson on trumpet, and Richard Leach on trombone. All of these guys are outstanding musicians and their talent shines through on each and every track. The album was recorded and produced by Richard Mason at RamBam Studios, located in Staffordshire. RamBam has worked closely with several artists under the Green Bullet label. According to the liner notes, the album is half a culmination of the new songs (they’ve) been playing live for a while, and half completely new songs to the set—including, for the first time, a harmonica instrumental tune and an a cappella gospel song. Hello Central begins with a rousing rendition of W.C. Handy’s classic “St. Louis Blues,” which features a tango-style refrain midway through the song that’s fun and cool. The Mississippi Sheiks’ “Sales Tax” is another classic number that gets a fresh twist from the Jug Band. The brassy opening to “Someday You’ll Be Sorry” reminds you of all those great ragtime songs of the 1920s. The vocals on both “Someday…” and “Doctor Jazz” definitely take you back in time to the heyday of ragtime and bluesy jazz. Originally written by Joe “King” Oliver in 1926, “Doctor Jazz” is one of the overall strongest songs on the album, and the band, with their guest artists, tear it up in a style reminiscent of Jelly Roll Morton, who popularized the song in the late 20s. The opening lyrics of “Doctor Jazz” are the basis for the album’s title, Hello Central. Hello Central give me Doctor Jazz Mentioned in the liner notes, “Moses Smote the Water,” an a cappella gospel-influenced tune, and “Fox Chase,” with its masterful harmonica-only melody, are definitely worth a second, or third, listen. As is “Ella Speed,” the Lead Belly standard, a fast-tempo number with Warren James’s feverish banjo and Liam Ward’s equally mesmerizing kazoo that will keep your toes tapping long after the song ends. Hello Central ends with “Gloryland,” a bluegrass-inspired gospel song highlighting what makes The Jake Leg Jug Band a truly unique and talented group of musicians. And these gifted artists are just what the doctor ordered. Writer Ken Billett is a freelance writer based in Memphis. He is a Blues Foundation member and former docent/tour guide at the Blues Hall of Fame. Originally from Tampa, Florida, Ken writes about travel, music, and the Mississippi Delta. |
The Jake Leg Jug Band – Hello Central
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