Colin James – Chasing the Sun

Stony Plain Records SPCD1499

www.colinjames.com

11 songs – 52 minutes

At age 60, British Columbia-based guitarist Colin James has produced albums that have garnered multi-platinum sales along with 30 Maple Blues, eight Juno Awards and BMA nominations, too. But he’s going to have to set the bar higher than he’s ever done before to follow this star-laden offering.

Described as a “house party’s worth of friends and mentors,” the lineup includes appearances from harp colossus Charlie Musselwhite, singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams, drummer/multi-instrumentalist Charley Drayton, who’s recorded with everyone from Keith Richards and Neil Young to Miles Davis and Courtney Love, and bassist Darryl Jones, who’s been recording and touring with the Rolling Stones since 1993.

Add other world-class talents to the mix and the resulting sound is a deep-in-the-groove product that take Colin’s sound and usual mix of driving and rock-steady material to a level that will have you yearning for more.

Recorded in Nashville by fellow Canadian Colin Linden and Michael Stankiewicz at Pinhead Studios with additional recording at Stonehouse Studios in Vancouver and Clarksdale Sound Stage in Mississippi, the roster includes Linden on guitar, Reese Wynans, Michael Hicks and Janice Powers on keys, Jim Hoke on sax, Ruby Amanfu singing harmonies and Ann and Regina McCrary on backing vocals.

Lucinda’s self-penned “Protection,” which first appeared in 2014, opens the set in style. She and Colin share vocals as they stress the need for defense against the enemies of love and more, and James and Linden amplify the message mid-tune with driving six-string runs and Drayton and Jones powering the beat. It flows into the haunting “I’m Still Alive,” the need for a breath of fresh air after a long, hard and perilous journey.

“Devilment,” which describes, a hypnotic lady, was written by Linden and Toronto bluesman Paul Reddick and has appeared separately in 2009 on both of their albums. But it takes on a different, funky and stop-time feel in James’ hands with a major assist from Musselwhite on the reeds. The mood mellows from the downbeat of the ballad, “Crystal Ball.” Colin yearns for the ability to look into the orb to see his loved ones, soothe them in their troubles and how their stories end.

The mellow blues, “How It Feels to Be Loved,” continues the message, this time in praise of a lady who’s able to heal any troubles life throws James’ way. It’s an acknowledgement of something that’s both natural and easily overlooked. The message continues in “Star Studded Sky” before the introspective ballad, “Too Far Gone,” is delivered by someone who knows now that he’s been looking in the wrong places for a solution to fix a bad romance.

A cover of Paul Butterfield’s “In My Own Dream” echoes the message of the previous tune before the driving blues-rocker, “This Song Kills Hate,” announces love is here to stay and there’s no time to lose to find happiness in a world hanging on by a thread. Charlie joins the action again for a new take on John Hammond’s “Come to Find Out” before the original, “Open Your Mind,” delivers a positive message to bring this one to a close.

A flawless and well-conceived effort, Chasing the Sun definitely deserves your ear. Simply stated, it’s great!

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.

Denise La Grassa – Sundown Rising

deelagee Records

www.deniselagrassa.com

9 tracks/29 minutes

Born in Chicago and raised in Wisconsin, Denise La Grassa returned to Chicago to tour with the Second City comedy group before settling down in Chicago’s music scene. As she passed forty years of age, she began her “North of Forty” portion of her career in 2022. Two albums later, she’s plying her trade with vigor and determination.

Denise handles the lead and backing vocals along with organ. John Kregor and Stephen Ryan share guitar duties. Steve C. Mann is on bass and backing vocals, and Mike Gee is on the drum kit. The Nunn Sisters add their vocal choir prowess to “Hope In Love,” and Pierra Lacocgue is on harp on two tracks. Anne Harris adds her fiddle to the next to last track.

She begins the album with the title track. Her husky vocals, a driving beat, vibrant guitar and greasy harp combine to get things moving smartly. Next is “None Of Your Business,” a bouncy cut that she sings with a sassy attitude and lots of emotion. The guitar solo rings solidly in the song, adding some fun. “Hope In Love” is a bit funky and cool. More vibrant guitar, and the backing vocals are well done!  La Grassa sings with an attitude as she and the band and added musicians navigate this sweet track.

The harp reprises it’s appearance with the cover “Key To The Highway,” a well-covered classic done with feeling. “Vision of Good Rule Makers” follows and it’s a fast, high-powered performance mixing a Gospel feeling with driving blues. La Grassa give it her all in this one.  Things slow down for the somber “The Door,” where Denise sings a song of hope and healing.

“Sweet Talk” is up next and it’s another funky piece with a sweet groove about sweet talking. Another nice guitar solo adds to the cut. La Grassa tells folks off as she tells them to “Quit Your Whining” about their normalization of mass shootings.  Life has enough challenges, don’t add to the mess. Anne Harris plays some mean fiddle to make this one special. The album concludes with “Loving For Love’s Sake,” a slow to mid-tempo cut sung with grit and determination. The final guitar solo rings true to take us out.

All in all, these original tunes and one cover are crafted well and allow Denise and the band to show off their talents. It’s a quick and slick ride through these cuts as La Grassa follows up her 2023 album The Flame that charted well as did the single “Better Days” from that album. She tackles life’s many issues with relevant and topical songs that are done well!

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.

Sugaray Rayford – Human Decency

Forty Below Records – 2024

www.sugarayrayford.com

9 tracks; 38 minutes

This is the third collaboration between Forty Below boss and producer Eric Corne and the dynamic singer Sugaray Rayford and it is very likely to do as well, if not better than the previous two; given that Somebody Save Me earned a Grammy nomination in 2020 and In Too Deep won the BMA Soul-Blues Album Of The Year in 2022, that is quite a claim, but this review will attempt to justify such high praise.

The band assembled to record Human Decency is similar to the two previous ones, notably Rick Holmstrom again featuring on guitar, along with Eamon Ryland. The rhythm section is Matt Tecu on drums and Taras Prodaniuk on bass, Drake ‘Munkihaid’ Shining and Sasha Smith are on keys and Saundra Williams (like Holmstrom, a member of Mavis Staples’ touring band) adds backing vocals. Horns appear on most tracks, Mark Pender on trumpet and Joe Sublett on sax, and Dan Kaneyuki plays flute on one track. Eric plays whatever else might be needed, including harp on one track and wrote all the material apart from one song, Sugar Ray sharing credits on two and providing one on his own. It’s a well-paced album, combining several standout tunes and covering themes that range from the physical to the almost spiritual, bringing in contemporary issues along the way.

Swirling keys, soulful horn stabs and Rick’s nagging guitar provide the background for Sugaray’s criticism of people who overreach themselves: “You shine like a star, but good looks and boyish charm only get you so far – that’s Failing Upwards”. He is equally scornful of someone he sees as a “Dirty Rat”: “Now the right hand it likes to lead and the left hand doesn’t always see. It’s like a spray tan and a skinny mirror or a book ban, need to plug your ears. I think I smell a dirty rat, these words just roll right off your back. You can’t concern yourself with facts, you still think that the earth is flat”. Given some of the lyrics here it is hard not to think of the present US political scene, but whoever the lyrics are targeting, they hit home hard and are made even more effective by the contrast of the gentle musical accompaniment. In the title track Sugaray makes a plea for better behavior from us all on a superb tune with a great horn arrangement, enhanced by flute accents, and again hits hard against those who seek to deny climate change in “Run For Cover”: “A canary in a coal mine holding up a stop sign, but we roll right through, shouting alternate headlines”. These are all serious songs about serious issues, all brilliantly presented in attractive music.

Elsewhere we get the overtly romantic “Strawberry Hill”, a pretty tune with another fine horn chart, perhaps to be contrasted with “Hanky Panky Time”, a tale of unapologetic lust, performed with a wink and smile by Sugaray! “Ain’t That A Man” is another standout cut, a tune that sounds like a lost Stax stomper updated with slide guitar, the lyrics making clear that the woman here has reached the end of her tether with this guy. The band funks it up on “Stuck Between”, Sugaray sharing the vocals in almost rap style with Sam Morrow, and to close the album Sugaray takes us back to the crossroad where the Devil lurks, offering his Grandma’s advice that, when confronted by the Devil, you look him in the eye and say… “Aha”! This one is a churning blues with plenty of gospel overtones.

The quality of the music, the range of styles and themes and the omnipresent power of Sugaray’s vocals make this one to watch again come Awards season. A hat trick of fine albums from Sugaray and Eric!

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.

Joanne Shaw Taylor – Heavy Soul

Journeyman Records – 2024

www.joanneshawtaylor.com

10 tracks; 44 minutes

Heavy Soul (2024), Joanne Shaw Taylor’s 12th LP, offers slow-burning blues tunes, up-tempo rockers, romantic ballads, and pop-tinged blues. This release sees Taylor’s return to rootsier music after her most recent album, Nobody’s Fool (2022), which she described as a pop soul album.

Taylor proves herself as a talented songwriter- writing six of the 10 tracks on the album- as well as a powerful singer and able guitarist.

On one of the best songs on the release, “Black Magic”, tasty opening blues guitar notes lead into a fiery dance groove, with solid guitar by Rob McNelly and drums by Anton Fig. Taylor’s voice explodes out smoky and strong very much like Jessie Mae Hemphill. Taylor sings “I swear that boy’s black magic”, echoed with heavenly backing vocals from Kim Fleming, Devonne Fowlkes, Jade MacRae, and Danielle DeAndrea. Jimmy Wallace delivers an impressive piano solo, creating an irresistible tune.

“Someone Like You” stands as one of the softest tracks on the record, a smooth outpouring of the heart. After a dreamy, ambient intro, Taylor’s voice hits perfectly – longing, tender, burning– as she sings “I’ve been searchin’ a long time for someone exactly like you.” The gushy, romantic ballad, written by Van Morrison, arrests attention, bringing the listener to contemplate romance, while Wallace delivers a tasteful solo on keys.

Funky guitar opens “Drowning in a Sea of Love”, once again greeted by Taylor’s smoky, bluesy voice. The song, with clear pop influences, tells the story of someone hurt by love gone wrong too many times. Taylor’s stirring, pleading voice is the cry of someone in the throes of love again; of the spark of hope of a new relationship. Consistent, catchy percussion drives the song.

In “A Good Goodbye”, Taylor employs a honey-laden, tender voice that vaguely resembles Macy Gray, in a soulful, balanced and tranquil track. Backup vocals again prove complimentary in the smooth, well produced song about realizing something in the relationship “went wrong”. The song carries a laid-back sorrow, a sort of quiet power.

Fig displays heavy, fast percussion to start off “Heavy Soul”, followed by ripping guitar riffs from McNelly and Taylor. Nowhere else on the album is the inspiration from Stevie Ray Vaughan so clear, as on this track, with gnarly, muscle clad solos. Taylor said she knew she wanted to become a professional blues guitarist when she saw Vaughan play guitar in a video at age 13.

The guitar in the center of “Heavy Soul”, is simply magnificent as Taylor belts out “You don’t know what it is to have a heavy soul” in an original song. The track is electric, dynamic, and ambitious.

A spicy, high flying intro begins “Devil in Me’, while Taylor sings “You hate the world. You wanna watch it burn. You put the devil in me”, accompanied by rocking background vocals – energetic but soft. With quick progression guitar chords, incessant waves of blues rock come forth, interspersed with guitar solos demonstrating dexterity and chops.

Taylor is a much better blues and roots musician than a pop artist in my book. As such, the pop-tinged tracks on the album – “Change of Heart”, “All the Way From America”, and “Wild Love” fall well short of her potential. On these tracks Taylor loses some of her soulful voice and becomes more predictable.

With all that said, Heavy Soul marks an impressive release with incredible vocals, effective song-writing, and strong musicianship. It is an eclectic and powerful album clearly stemming from multiple influences in blues, rock, roots, and pop. The strength of the Taylor originals “Heavy Soul” and “Black Magic” alone make this album worth the listen.

Writer Jack Austin, also known by his radio DJ name, Electric Chicken (y Pollo Electrico en Espanol), is a vinyl collector, music journalist, and musician originally from Pittsburgh.

“I love doing what I do, and I plan to keep on playing for the rest of my life.”

Since 1974, Kim Wilson has traveled the world as the leader of the Fabulous Thunderbirds. His distinctive voice, harmonica style and material choices have led the band and its various members over the years, from the Blues circuit to mainstream stages around the world. I caught up with him as he was leaving for a tour of Europe, just another day at the office in T-Bird land.

Part One – Beginnings

Kim Stanford Wilson came into the world on February 6, 1951. The family lived in the Detroit area, and his dad, who sang on the radio, worked for GM. Mom was a beautician and did some singing. There were two other children, and Kim began mandatory music lessons once a week in third grade. The baritone trombone was his first instrument, although that didn’t last too long.

The family moved to Santa Barbara, California in 1960 and various influences began to manifest.

Kim names one teacher in particular who had a profound and positive influence:

“Bill Shields was my fifth and sixth grade teacher. He instilled a decent work ethic in me. He came to see us play in later years!”

He was a quick study on the harmonica: “I was in a band within months after I started playing. I started playing at 17 and suddenly, I’m in a band. My old football coach was going, “What the Fuck are you doing??? The future author of “Wait on Time” went on to a football scholarship at Sonoma State, that he never really followed up on.

“I wanted to play in bands, the handwriting was on the wall already. I went to Santa Barbara College with my friend but we’d pull in the parking lot and ‘nah!’ We would turn around and go check out the beach.”

He landed a job at a machine shop “I was kind of a gopher and was cutting galvanized steel. That didn’t last long. Then I was a Rain Soft Water man. He had to decide on a career, and as he puts it:

“I was either going to be a wino or a musician and that’s when it all started.”

He continues:

“I broke my collarbone; I played Earl Warren Showgrounds with a broken collarbone. I was on the show with Three Dog Night and Savoy Brown. We were opening for those guys. What really got me into music was I went out and started listening to a bunch of (Blues) people. I heard George Smith, Albert Collins, guys that I ended up being great friends with later.

“When I first met George, it was one of the few times I didn’t have a full band with me, before I even knew about Little Walter, I loved George. I’m at the show with my friend John Phillips who had given me the nickname Goleta Slim, He was opening for George and did three numbers. I was too young to even be in there, but I had a fake ID that said I was 41 (laughs). So, I’m sitting there waiting for my idol. John tells me “I want you to get up and play and I was like ‘Nah, I don’t know!” John was insistent, he said “No, you are doing it.”

“Anyway, I got up there and it’s going well and by the third song George jumps up on stage and he’s making me do all the stuff he was doing. Like laying on his back, kicking his legs up in the air, I’m doing what he’s’ doing and the crowd is going crazy.”

“At the end of the set George goes into “You Don’t’ Love Me” and he lets the band down one at a time and at the end it’s just me and him. The club owner comes up and says, “How about a big hand for George and then hands me a C Note, which was a lot of money back then!!!” I was going to leave, and George would not let me. He says, “I want you to finish out the week and then adds “I’m for real.”

So that was the beginning of a friendship that lasted for many years.

That would also lead to a gig with Eddie Taylor, architect of the Jimmy Reed sound. When Kim went to the Taylor gig there was some confusion but thanks to the old Boy Scout motto “Be Prepared” he was able to play and establish yet another musical and personal relationship with one of the masters.

The seventies music scene in Goleta, Ca. was still sleepy, so he convinced the owner of the club Fergies to bring in national Blues legends like Pee Wee Crayton and Lowell Fulson. Wilson and his company could provide an in-house backup band for them. Kim was now in his early twenties and had been playing harmonica for around two years. Although he might have been young and a quick study, he saw these older artists as teachers and never showed them anything less than total respect.

“They liked me ‘cause they knew I would do anything for them, I would take a fuckin’ bullet for them, and I still would.” He had a $10 a week room and was making maybe $45-60 on a good weekend, but as he puts it:

“I was listening to the real shit and playing with the real guys.”

He got tired of California and hitched a ride to Minnesota.

He says: “I put my red amp (which I still have) and my few records in a jeep with my clothes and headed north. The scene was there in the 70s. There were a lot of bars to play in, lots of little festivals, the west bank was Hoppin’. There was Willie Murphy and the Bumblebees and Lamont Cranston, The Bumblebees were a very great band, Willie Murphy was a great singer.

“There were lots of great clubs, there was the Caboose and then a place called The Joint.

“There was Tony Glover, Spider John Koerner, and David Ray, the infamous trio.

‘I ended up getting hooked up with a couple of guys from Seattle named Phil and Leonard. They talked a good game but It wasn’t’ much of a game.”

“I snuck off to Texas on my first plane ride.”

Austin

“There was a gal down there named Shirley Demming and her boyfriend was Mark Pollock, guitarist from Dallas. She wanted to start a booking agency and a label. I went to Austin for my first time in January in Minnesota!!

“So, I go around and I’m playing with all these people like Stevie Ray. Me and him and Doyle Bramhall Sr. are going all over the place playing’ on people’s breaks. We get to this place called Alexanders.  We get there and Jimmy Vaughn and his band called “Storm” are playing and I didn’t think that much of them. I just wanted to get up and play. I get up there and I’m playing and singing, and I might have been drunk by the time I left, Nothings really happening with Shirley, and I can see the handwriting on the wall, so I go back to Minnesota.” A couple of months later I get a call from Jimmy and I’m ready to leave Minnesota for someplace, So I tell him that I’m ready to split from my thing and he tells me he’s ready to split from his band and so I said, “I’m on the way.” I told my band up north I was going to San Francisco to see my girlfriend and I went to Austin instead.”

Living the Blues

“So, there I am, sleeping on Jimmy’s couch and for eight months, nothing, no work. So, then we play little shit clubs, and we start playing at Antone’s. Clifford Antone, out of the goodness of his heart would just hand me money, nobody was coming to our shows…. We played every week, we played Blue Mondays, we opened for people and sometimes people showed up sometimes not. Then we opened for Muddy Waters.

“We opened for Muddy Waters and he loved us, he loved me especially. That was a wonderful thing, and he told everybody about me and the band. So, on his word, we went up to New England for some gigs and the people were ready for us. We ended up doing a lot of gigs up there.”

Muddy’s’ stamp of approval would carry major career impact and led to the first four-record deal with the Takoma label.

From those earliest days, one important aspect of the band’s early popularity was their choice of material. All Blues bands cover classic and obscure artists, but Mr. Wilson and company led the pack in cool covers.  Many of these remakes were so obscure that 90% of the audience had no idea that they were not originals.

“She’s Tuff” with its trademark evil chuckle came from Alabama artist Jerry McCain.

“Marked Deck” from Atlanta native Billy Wright.

“Fine, Fine, Fine” was first recorded by Rockin’ Sydney.

“The Monkey Speaks” by Dave Bartholomew.

Kim recalls “They started sending us stuff. People would send it once you’ve got going on it, ‘She’s Tuff’ came from a guy named Floyd Moore. He’s not with us anymore. Somebody else sent ‘Marked Deck’ which is also a good one. ‘My Babe’ was a Ron Holden song from out here in LA, the other side of ‘Love You So.’ We would search them out, but people also sent them to us.  Yeah, like ‘The Monkey Speaks’ that kind of thing.  Eventually, what it’s all about is writing your own stuff, I mean, you must do that, and we did.  As you know, writing a song that’s kind of like having a child and not having to clean up afterward. Sometimes it takes a long time for that to happen but like on this new album there are a couple of songs I’ve had for a long time; I mean ‘Payback Time’ I had for a long time.”

Struck Down – Kim’s latest album on Stony Plain Records

Struck Down, the latest album on Stony Plain brings Wilson together with several musical guests and the songwriting chops of Hamilton songwriter Steve Strongman. Along with the touring band there is a VIP list of  all-star talent to join in the fun. Although there’s only one cover tune, the originals make up a collection of obvious influences and subtle tributes.

A few standout tracks include:

“Struck Down by The Blues,” a tough, no-nonsense opener, it has a real Little Milton feel. The groove is great, and all the parts are perfect. Perfect horns, perfect groove, perfect lyrics.

“Payback Time,’ the most accessible choice with the most potential for long-term airplay. Guest star Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top.

“Nothing in Ramblin,” welcome to the Lizzie Douglas Invitational. Lizzie Douglas AKA Memphis Minnie, was one of the most talented and criminally overlooked Blues artists in history, a brilliant guitarist and writer. Of any classic Blues artist deserving a decent cover version she would be in the top three. Blues purists will love this take on her song, featuring guests Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal. Keb Mo, and even Mick Fleetwood. They retain the feel of the original while delivering their own scorching rendition. Worth the price of the album alone.

“Whatcha Do To Me,” just a classic Thunderbirds groove. This reminds me of their classic “Wait on Time.” Features Elvin Bishop guesting.

“Sideline,” A whimsical stare in your glass, and think about your ex, look at life. The classic sixties soul ballad, Johnny Adams, comes to mind at once.

These are only a few of the stand outs, there’s not a weak cut on here, no filler at all.

Along with all the guests, all the members of the current Thunderbirds (List) play with the usual devastating perfection, the rhythm section on all the tracks are simply jaw dropping.

All the promo sheets quote Kim as saying that it is the best Thunderbirds album ever and it would indeed be hard to top this one.

Part Two

We talked about the newest album and about a career that has spanned fifty years.

You’ve been doing this since 1974, do you still enjoy it?

“Actually, I’ve been doing it since ‘68! I’ve had a lot of experience and experience means everything in this business. I enjoy it more than ever. I enjoy the interaction with the musicians. If you’ve got the right musicians, which I have now, maybe for the first time ever, back in the days when we first started this thing, we had a thing, ok? I’m not saying I was that good. I wasn’t. I was a pretty good writer, a pretty good singer, I was an OK harmonica player. But the thing about us that was good at that time was that it wasn’t learned out of a book and there are a lot of different influences there that all kinds of got mixed up into one kind of musical direction.  We were really one of the only bands playing Blues in the whole country as far as white guys, and it wasn’t learned out of a book. I’m not saying the other guys learned it that way either. I really loved Roomful of Blues with Duke Robillard. They were very intimidating at that time.  We would do co-bills and we’d switch off opening and I did not like following them, you know. Four pieces versus like eight and it was really a bunch of great musicians. I mean, they were a fantastic bunch of musicians. I was really, I was extremely impressed by them.

“The Nighthawks were great too. We had a lot of fun with those guys. Down there at the Psyche Delly. That’s back when we were sleeping on floors. We have that van that we put 120,000 miles on in one year, oh yeah in one year. Wow. I can’t believe we didn’t get arrested, we were driving it so fucked up half the time.”

 How has the business changed over the years?

“Well, it was a nasty business back then, and now it’s no business, you know what I mean? I mean all you’re doing is people get everything for nothing, $10 a month on Spotify. You get everything you want. That’s where the record execs went, to Spotify. They went to another place to rip off the artist, and that’s just the way it is.  I’ll tell my manager I don’t wanna be on Spotify but you gotta do it, it’s promotion, But if they do buy a download these days, you get 50% of it, which is large compared to what you got on an album. You know I mean, maybe I was making $0.18 off an album or some shit like that.  It was a nasty business back then, there were a few bright spots, of course, Tony Martell was one of them, he was a very generous man. He got us signed a to major label. I think that was back in the day when that was possible to have a real hit record and make some royalties.  Now it’s impossible. No way. I mean, OK, Taylor Swift, she might be selling 30 million records, you know.  and she goes on tour, obviously, and makes money. That’s the only way you are gonna make any money, playin’ live these days. Our new one was number one on the Blues charts. It was number sixty or eighty on the pop charts.  I thought that was the most impressive more than number one on the Blues Charts.

“The new record is just so T-Bird. We decided we were gonna do everything we liked. Not just Blues, but rock ‘n’ roll, Soul, even a little bit of R&B in there ala Albert King on Stax. It is sonically incredible because of the mixing of Shelley Yakus, and the mastering of Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound. It was mixed and mastered beautifully, the material is better than any material we’ve ever had on record”.

Going back a few years, what was the first golden moment for you, when you thought to yourself: “Oh, wow this is cool, I’m really doing this?”

“It was early on, I was listening to James Cotton, and I remember he was playing first position (on the harmonica) and I’m thinking, ‘I don’t have those notes on this harmonica,’ so I figured it out.

“That was important.

“It took me a long long time to get decent at what I do, took me a long time to be able to listen to my recordings. A long time both playing and singing. After all, the whole thing is about singing, singing is the music. If you’re a guy like me, you gotta be able to sing it legitimately. When people like Eddie Taylor and Albert Collins and Pee Wee Crayton, you know George Smith, all these fantastic musicians like you, then you really feel like you are doing something. Like I said before, the reason these guys liked me was they knew I would take a bullet for them. They knew that I would do anything for them, I loved them, and they loved me. That was, more than anything, that was telling me I was doing something.”

What’s left that you haven’t done?

“Well, I don’t really have a bucket list. The bucket list would have something I don’t know about. I’ve worked on hundreds of people’s recordings, hundreds. My discography, I can’t even tell you my discography, there’s so much. Back when I was young, I wanted to play on everything, and I’m not on everything but I am on a lot.

“Here’s the thing about my playing, I don’t really have to change a thing to play a different kind of music. All I must do is harmonize with the other musicians. Most of the time they bring me in because they want me anyway. I’ve had a couple of taskmasters like Paul Simon that ask can I play a certain way, and I’ll do it if I can. But if you take the accompanist mind set and you can harmonize with people like Mark Knopfler or Bonnie Raitt, that’s the key. Keb Mo called me up for the new movie version of ‘The Color Purple.’ I’m in that.

“It’s a mutual respect and love thing. Peter Frampton for instance, who would have thought Peter Frampton…. And he was a great guy. Back in the day I was such a Blues Freak I might have turned a lot of this work down, but I think that if you look at any musician just to get up on the bandstand and play takes some guts. Like I told you about way back at Fergies, I told them they needed to bring in Albert Collins, Margie Evans and Pee Wee Crayton, we could back them up. You can’t be scared, it ain’t like going down the expert ski slope, you’re not going to break a leg, the only thing you might break is your ego if people don’t like you.

“I’ve had nothing but incredible experiences with everyone I have played with, but I will say this:

“If it wasn’t for those originators I played all those times with, like Jimmy Rogers, guys like Muddy Waters, Tucker, Eddie Taylor, Albert Collins, Lowell Fulson, the list goes on and on. Jimmy Reed even, if they didn’t like what I did, I wouldn’t have kept doing it.”

One last question. At the end of the journey, what will you feel is your greatest accomplishment?

“I kept it real. I’m proud of what I am as a musician and a bandleader. I’ve been a bandleader my whole life. When I call people to join this band, they always say yes because they know what they are going to get into. They know it’s going to be a different thing every night. It’s not a cookie cutter thing, there’s no set list, none of that shit. There might be a master list, so I don’t forget anything, but its unique every night. I read the crowd. I love playing for a crowd where you can play two slow blues in a set, that tells me it’s a good crowd. But I don’t care if it’s a slow blues or a medium shuffle, you gotta have some juice in it, that something I’ve learned. I’ve seen people get on stage and put people to sleep. I’m going to represent this music, the people like are the ones that say, “I didn’t think I liked Blues, but I sure love this.” That just always makes me feel good. The music just makes me feel good, but you know there’s not gonna be a back porch with a rocking chair for me.  I’m going to be on that bandstand ‘til I croak, and that’s going to be it!!….

And That’s Tuff  Enuff

Writer Rev. Billy C. Wirtz is a performing artist, teacher and radio personality and recovering addict. He is a former Special ED Teacher and Pro wrestling manager. The Rev is the author of two books and numerous articles on music and culture. He lives in Florida with his wife and a houseful of animals.

Vaneese Thomas – Stories in Blue

Overton Music

www.vaneesethomas.com

7 songs – 24 minutes

One of the most treasured voices in Memphis, Vaneese Thomas has made a name for herself by turning her innermost thoughts and feelings into emotion-packed songs. And the honey-toned mezzo-soprano is at the top of her game in this set, which marks the debut of the Overton Music, a label founded by Betsie Brown, who operates one of the most respected music support and promotion operations in the city.

The youngest daughter of Rufus Thomas and the sister of Carla, Vaneese is truly a star in her own right whose background includes work with producer Phil Ramone. She’s held her own when sharing the stage with a galaxy of giants, including Luciano Pavarotti, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion and classical orchestras. She’s also a sought-after talent as a songwriter, producer and actor, too.

This is only Thomas’ seventh album since debuting with an eponymous CD on Geffen Records in 1987 and producing the Top Ten hit, “Let’s Talk It Over.” A popular voiceover talent, she’s appeared in the PBS series, Shining Time Station and Disney’s Hercules and her songs fill the soundtracks of big-screen blockbusters Anastasia, Mighty Aphrodite and The First Wives Club.

Fear not, however. This disc is Memphis music at its best. Vaneese is backed by guitarist Al Orlo, keyboard player Dave Keyes, drummer Ross Peterson and bassist Paul Adamy with a horn section composed of Tim Ouimette (trumpet), Andy Drelles (clarinet/sax) and Walter Barrett (tuba). Emily Bendiger, Berneta Miles, Jason L. Terry and Darryl Tookes provide backing vocals.

An uptempo shuffle, “Do Y’All” kicks of the action in style as Thomas questions listeners about the original of the blues, emoting powerful emotions as she details its origins in slavery and its journey from West Africa to the Delta and where it exists today. It gives way to “When You Were My Man,” a funky number delivered from the point-of-view of a woman who realizes all the mistakes she made in ignoring the abuse she endured in the relationship for so long. Orlo’s six-string fills and mid-tune solo amplify her pain.

The original, “Wandering,” bears lyrical similarities with The Chi-Lites’ “Have You Seen Here” as it describes a lady feeling abandoned and hopeless as she walks the street in search of relief from her unrelenting pain. But the mood changes dramatically from the first measures of “1917,” a jazzy number that mentions World War I was raging while Vaneese honors the birth year of her father. Then it’s back to heartbreak with “The Last Thing on My Mind,” which finds the singer bemoaning the fact that she’s suffering from the loss of faith as well as a broken heart.

Based on a poem penned by Miles, who grew up in the outskirts of Humboldt, Tenn., “7 Miles from Home” celebrates both the journey to celebrate searching elsewhere for happiness and also the joyous welcome she receives when returning to the hamlet. Thomas takes listeners to church to close with the gospel-themed “End of the Road,” which welcomes the end of life and the trip to paradise.

Vaneese Thomas delivers the gold standard of soul-blues here. It’s a winner on all counts.

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.

Amanda Fish – Kingdom

Vizztone Label Group

www.amandafishband.com

10 songs time – 39:42

This is the third studio album from singer-songwriter Amanda Fish, the older sister of Samantha Fish. Although the liner notes are a bit sketchy, it seems she plays the occasional bass, guitar and piano. She wrote everything herself and enlists a variety of players. Her vocals are serviceable and energetic at times. Her lyrics tend to be topical and creative.

Her hefty voice belts out “Mockingbird” to the rhythm and slide guitar of Terry Midkiff. It speaks of politics and corruption, an apt subject for today’s world. The subject is similar in “Sell The Record”, but this time the skullduggery in the music business. Billy Evanochoko blazes on the guitar. Amanda is the sole guitarist on the gritty “The Hard Way”, a song about life’s tribulations.

Jeremiah Johnson does lead guitar duty on the intense “Unbreakable”. Amanda’s forceful voice matches the heavy riff. Some of the best lyrics can be found in the slow and deliberate “The Great Reset”. Her vocal reaches an intensity level that foreshadows what is to come. Honkytonk country music raises its’ head in the desperation of “Broke Ass Blues”.

Richard Rosenblatt’s harmonica rides rampant over the heavy groove and raging vocal of “Work”. Dylan Farrell’s guitar weaves in and out like the wind. That guitar tone is irresistible as it builds. The guitar reinforces the lyric on “The World We Leave Behind”. It is just Amanda on vocals and spare piano on the poignant “Mother”. It appears to be about an abortion. It sends chills as her pitch turns to rage. If this song doesn’t touch you, seek help. Slide guitar intertwines with Dylan Farrell’s soaring soloing on the title track “Kingdom”. Needless to say Amanda’s vocals keep pace.

Nothing here that you could call blues here, although elements of it come and go. If you need a label, call it singer-songwriter Americana or roots music. Mama Moo’s backing vocals throughout add depth. It evokes thought in its’ words and the energy of the accompanying music. The musicians make it all congeal to support Amanda’s vision. A nice change of pace.

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

Dickey Betts – Live From The Lone Star Roadhouse, New York City 1988

Rock Beat – 2024

www.liberationhall.com

CD1: 11 tracks; 78 minutes

CD2: 6 tracks; 51 minutes

Part of this set was first released for Record Store Day in 2018 but this double CD provides the entire show from a date in NYC on November 1, 1988, adding eight tracks, from what was, at the time, a new album from The Dickey Betts Band, entitled Pattern Disruptive. This was an interesting period for Dickey who made his name with The Allman Brothers Band but was now going out under his own name. The band at the time was Dickey on guitar and vocals, Warren Haynes on guitar, slide and vocals, Johnny Neel on keyboards, harp and vocals, Matt Abts on drums and Marty Privette on bass; Dickey, Warren and Johnny would go on to join the reformed ABB in 1990 whilst Warren and Matt remain the core of Gov’t Mule today. This show blends Betts-penned ABB tunes with a few of the band’s staples with eight of the ten tracks from Pattern Disruptive.

CD1 mixes three of Dickey’s classic ABB tunes with seven from Pattern Disruptive. The Allman tunes are “Blue Sky” and the two instrumentals, “Jessica” and “In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed”. “Blue Sky” is superb, the twin guitar work excellent and, although Dickey’s vocals remain country-tinged, this version rocks a little harder than the Eat A Peach original with tough slide from Warren, lyrical guitar from Dickey and outstanding piano from Johnny. “Jessica” wraps up the first set in a lengthy 14 minute version while “Elizabeth Reed” is even longer, allowing time for a brief drum feature. The only tune from Pattern Disruptive to make the 2018 release was another instrumental, Dickey’s lovely tribute to his lost bandmate, “Duane’s Tune” and it’s another fine track. However, there is little wrong with the rest of the new material, from rocking opener “Rock Bottom” and Warren’s gruff vocals on “Time To Roll” (which one could see as typical Gov’t Mule material) to Johnny’s “The Blues Ain’t Nothin’”, a solid slice of rocking blues. “Far Cry” again features Johnny on vocals and twinkling piano that contrasts with the rest of a pretty heavy slice of blues-rock while “Heartbreak Line” rocks along well with Dickey’s lighter vocal and some scintillating slide work. Perhaps the pick of the unreleased material is a country-inflected tune with dobro and good vocal harmonies, Dickey stating that he “don’t want to be president, never had much luck with government. I don’t want to be the king of fame, I just want to be your Loverman”.

CD2 has just one of the Pattern Disruptive tunes, “Under The Guns Of Love”, which builds up a head of steam after a moody, slide-driven opening. Then it’s guest time, Rick Derringer lending a hand on two Allman classics, starting with “Statesboro Blues” and, whilst nobody can ever replace Duane Allman’s inimitable slide style, this is a really good version, Warren playing great slide and delivering the vocal lines in very similar style to Gregg Allman. “One Way Out” races along with all three guitarists featured on an extended version that runs close to ten minutes, the audience clearly enjoying it as they are encouraged to sing the chorus! Rick Derringer is rewarded for his contribution by leading the band through a short, wild take on his most famous song, “Rock And Roll Hoochie Koo” before handing over to no less than Jack Bruce and Mick Taylor to lead the band through an extended version of “Spoonful”, very much in the Cream style rather than Howling Wolf. The tune does take a while to get going but once it does Jack’s commandd the triple threat of guitarists makes for a top jam session. We return to Dickey’s ABB material with “Southbound”, here with all the guests involved, so there are four guitarists present and solo space for everyone.

Dickey Betts died earlier this year, aged 80, and deserves to be remembered for his great contribution to the music, notably as a founding member of the Allman Brothers. The release of the full concert pays suitable tribute to him and is well worth your attention.

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.

Rob Tognoni – Rebel

MIG Music – 2023

www.robtog.com

17 tracks; 76 minutes

Rejoicing in his nickname ‘The Tasmanian Devil’, Rob Tognoni is a blues-rocker from Tasmania, Australia, who spends time every year touring across Europe where he has built up a considerable following. He has a reputation for delivering blistering shows and will be branching out this Fall by joining forces with three European musicians with strong reputations – Ian Siegal, drummer Mike Hellier and bassist Roger Inniss, to form a supergroup that will (inevitably) be called The S.H.I.T! Meanwhile we have this album, released earlier this year and chock full of strong riffs and tunes. The material is mainly original, with a few choice covers including Bowie, Thin Lizzy and Alvin Lee. No information on the other musicians involved was provided, but it sounds as if it is a power trio on most tracks.

Rough guitar and Rob’s gruff vocals introduce “Rebel And A Gamble” which is something of a template for the rockers here, “Eyes Wide Open” chugging along before Rob uses the wah pedal for his solo section while “Primeval Baby (Tribal)” is a third rocker on the bounce, a suggestion of Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” in the intro. Rob changes the pace with the traditional “Whiskey In The Jar” with some good twin guitar work (presumably Rob overdubbing two guitars). A little heavier than Thin Lizzy’s cover in the 1970’s, this is nevertheless a solid version.

Six originals follow: more jagged riffs on “Move Along” and “Here To Stay” but “Little Things” offers a more melodic approach as Rob sings of there always being “a mountain to climb”, but it’s those little things that make life worthwhile. “A Mystery Man” has the sort of guitar riff so beloved in the 70’s, the whole tune sounding like it could have come from the likes of Mott The Hoople back in the day. “Orion” brings some acoustic guitar and keys to the album for the first time, giving the song a folky feel, before the enigmatic title “Weed”, which turns out to be a short instrumental, complete with a few more Zeppelin references.

A thumping cover of Bowie’s “Rebel, Rebel” is played with relish and clearly gives the album its title while “Victim Of Circumstance” finds Rob tearing up the fret-board with a really heavy riff at the core of the song, over which he shreds impressively. We then get two live recordings: “Lands Of Cirrus” is an original, a jagged rocker with a grungy solo; “Lil’ Melody” is a tune by the late Alvin Lee, of Ten Years After fame. “2050” is another riff-driven rocker with some swirling effects, an instrumental with keyboards in the mix. The final two tracks are both covers, from relatively unusual sources: “Assholes And Opinions” is from US band Orphan Jon & The Abandoned ( a former Blues Blast nominee) and rocks along well, keyboards definitely on this one, and it benefits from a catchy chorus too; “Life” is from Johnnie Williamson, a Brit who performs with Animals & Friends and a CCR tribute band, amongst other projects; the guitar rings out on this one, a road song about “the highway of life”.

Fans of blues-rock and strong guitar riffs will love this well-filled album; those who are not such devotees may find themselves reaching for the headache pills before this one is over.

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.

Roman Barten-Sherman – Death’s Little Black Train

Riverlark Music – 2023

www.romanbartensherman.com

13 tracks; 53 minutes

Obsessively interested in traditional blues music since she was six, Roman Barten-Sherman is now in her early twenties and this appears to be a debut album release. Entirely solo acoustic, Roman demonstrates considerable skill on guitar, slide resonator and banjo while paying tribute to those who came before her, from the well-known to the obscure. The sleeve notes give fulsome details about each of the thirteen songs, where she learnt them and her own interpretation; the album is clearly a labor of love.

Raised in Arizona, Roman has quite a deep vocal style and, from a casual listen it would not be obvious that it is a female singing; this could be what it would be like to hear the original recordings from the 1920’s without the crackle and hiss of old 78s!  Roman’s guitar work is excellent throughout, but take as one example the second track, a moody traditional instrumental entitled “Lonesome Live Oak” which she learned from folk archivist Big Jim Griffith, with whom she has worked on the Arizona State Folklore collection. The title track comes from a tradition of songs that evoke the notion of taking the train to one’s final destination, her version combining several songs from the tradition and taking its place alongside versions including those by Jesse Mae Hemphill and Rev JM Gates.

Of the more familiar tunes here “Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning” will surely be familiar to most readers, a tune covered by many, including Hot Tuna. Roman’s version takes elements from Charlie Poole and Big Joe Williams as well as the basic structure of Mississippi Fred McDowell’s original. A second McDowell tune, “Mama Don’t Allow” is played in Hill Country style. The quiet blues of Geeshie Wiley’s “Eagles On A Half” dates to 1931, the final verse reversing traditional views of male-female relations, a fact that appealed to Roman in recording the song. The traditional “Down On Me” is a tune played by Rev Gary Davis, Roman starting her version with an extended intro taken from a 1928 Bolivian folk tune, demonstrating that these types of traditional music has many links. She also tackles some gospel tunes, notably “I’m Going To That City”, from the repertoire of Sister Ola Mae Terrell.

For those who enjoy traditional acoustic blues, especially material from the very beginning of blues recordings, this album will offer much pleasure.

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.

Jantso Jokelin – Spark of Luck

Independent

No website Available

11 Tracks – 37 minutes

Jantso Jokelin is a multi-instrumentalist from Helsinki, Finland with his major instrument being the harmonica.  He cites that as a youth, he flopped back and forth listening to blues and hip-hop, altering between Muddy Waters and Wu-Tang Clan. He played various instruments but fell in love with the harp. He has studied the aspects of playing the harp across many genres including Middle Eastern music, klezmer, beatboxing, jazz and blues. He has studied the techniques of many harmonica players citing Sonny Terry as his first idol, Jason Ricci as a current star, but says Hugo Diaz, an Argentinian tango artist is his number one chromatic player. He took third place at the 2009 World Harmonica Contest in Germany. He is a published author and journalist with works including the first extensive book about the harmonica written in Finnish.

This is his first full-length solo album but has recorded with other Finnish groups previously. Five of the songs are from a 2023 EP, Silver Lining. All songs are originals written by him and he plays resonator and acoustic guitar, percussion and harmonica. Jantso says he drew inspiration for the album from Skip James and Charley Patton and from contemporary artists Charlie Parr, Doug Macleod, and Kelly Joe Phelps with hints of other cultures.

“Last Night” opens the album with a captivating Delta blues song featuring his acoustic guitar and moves into a haunting harp as he sings, “your eyes were shining so bright, they were looking for a new light”. Ville Salonen guests on banjo on the aptly titled “Old Banjo Roll” as he talks about a tavern that has changed and he missed the old music that was played there. “Shoestrings (On A Shoestring Budget)” is a folksy song addressing the life of an artist noting that “all of my friends are either on welfare or doing well” with his harmonica slipping along easily.

“Gambler’s Blues” has the sound of a song recorded in the 1930’s with crisp guitar work as he advises that “money is gone, but I still have more to lose”. “Chickadee Stomp” is a bouncy country blues styled instrumental. He says, “If you see me coming “Leave Your Footprints” on the ground.” The song starts quietly and builds to a run on his harmonica. Ville Rauhala adds double bass on “Don’t Go There” as Jantso exclaims “If I ever go back there, I might lose my shit, and I’m going to tell you this time it won’t be a hissy fit”. “I never figured out what love is, but it sure ain’t that.”

“Only The Night” offers a very bluesy poetic painting of a dream-like atmospheric picture. On “Paper Clip Blues” he cites after a night of travel, “the morning light is breaking and the sun shining down like gold, yet I feel like a suitcase on a midnight roll.” Rauhala joins again on double bass on “Picaresque” with Jantso’s guitar providing a laidback, somewhat Caribbean influence on another instrumental. The album closes with “Taxi to a Housefire” which tells the story of a freelance journalist’s work to get a story with hopes that “they pay me well to be here…one day I will get a full-time deal”.

Jantso’s vocals are pleasant, his lyrics frequently pieces of folksy literature, and his instrumental work on both harmonica and guitar are excellent. The album should appeal to those who enjoy an old-style blues with a touch of folk.

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.

The Imagine If – Great Expectations

Self-Release – 2024

www.theimagineifband.com

10 tracks; 41 minutes

The Imagine If is a five-piece band from Toronto, Canada. Fronted by singer Alia Logan, the other members are Keith Boddy on guitar, Eric Lefebvre on keys, Brian Pauls on bass and Tom Paulovits on drums. Horns are added to four tracks by Shaylynn Anderson (sax) and Laura Stones (trumpet) and backing vocalists Quisha Wint and Selena Evangeline contribute to six of the ten songs here. Unfortunately, there was no information sheet supplied but the material all seems to be original and this appears to be the band’s debut album release, to judge from a visit to their website.

Alia is a strong presence, her vocals deep and soulful, and whilst she does not have a particularly wide vocal range, she certainly projects the lyrics well, no more so than on the first two tracks: “Old Shack By The Highway” is a big production number with lots of keyboards and a spiraling guitar solo as Alia recalls an old building from her childhood, now long gone; the uptempo “Devil’s Child” features the horns, adding to the ominous feel of the cut. “Flowers” features keyboards, notably what sounds like clavinet, giving the track a bit of a 70’s soul feel, also accentuated by the backing vocals. “Wait For The Moment” is excellent, perhaps the most overtly rock cut on the album, anchored by a great riff from Keith, Alia biding her time in a relationship which seems to have promise but needs the right timing: “I search for the answers but the questions were wrong”.

Things take a turn towards mainstream pop with “Intimacy” and “Like You” which, for this reviewer, were the weakest tracks here. Bubbling keyboards drive “Moonshine”, a tale of bootleggers evading the law (“Don’t tell me I’m wrong, I give the people what they want”) while the title track is a big production ballad with a superb vocal over synth strings, though the spoken element towards the end may not appeal to everyone. “December 32nd” is a strange title and several listens failed to reveal the intentions of the lyrics though the rousing chorus, driven by powerful drums and guitar, cannot fail to impress, kindling fond memories of early Jefferson Starship to these ears! The album closes with horns and busy bass lines pushing the tune on while electric piano takes the main solo honours; Alia’s “Mission” is to be the centre of her guy’s universe.

Attentive readers will note that the word ‘blues’ has not appeared in this review. Indeed, while there are elements of rock, soul and roots music, there is little or no blues here. Fans of bands like fellow Canadians Bywater Call should enjoy this one, but there is little here for hard-core blues fans.

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.

Campbell & Johnston – Paisley Hearts

Self-Release – 2024

www.campbellandjohnstonmusic.com

8 tracks; 31 minutes

Canadians Christine Campbell and Blake Johnston have previously released an EP but this is a debut album (albeit quite a short one by modern standards). They are both credited with vocals, guitar and bass and are supported by drummer Serkan Suer and no fewer than four different keyboard players, Leith Flemming-Smith, Peter Davison, Jason Keddy and Sam Fraser; sax player Jeff Mosher and trumpeter Jody Lyne strengthen a few tracks. All the songs are original compositions by Christine and Blake, with assistance on one by Erin Costello.

“Find Your Way” is terrific, racing along on a wave of keys with great stabs of horns, the two vocalists giving us a soul tune that harks back to the heady days of Stax and Motown. The drums lead throughout and a fine guitar solo tops things off, a great start to the record. “Righteous” has more of a swampy feel as Blake takes the lead vocal, supported by Christine, lots of tinkling keys here, the lyrics pointing criticism at those who feel themselves superior to the rest of us. Again, this is a big production number that builds in intensity as the horns join in, but the next tune is more stripped back and has a clear blues DNA as Blake sings “Regrets, I’ve Had A Few”, a title that may evoke memories of Frank Sinatra to older readers, though the soaring slide solo tells us we are well away from the music of Ol’ Blue Eyes! An intriguing title, “Hash & Black Coffee” is just two and a half minutes of full-on rock and roll with great piano and guitar.

It appears that the album is aimed at the vinyl audience as tracks 1-4 are labelled ‘Side A’ and 5-8 ‘Side B’. Acoustic guitar and dobro underpin Christine’s quiet but appealing vocal as she declares that “Nothing’s Forever (Even Goodbye)”: “I still see you in doorways, hear you call my name, at times dreams feel more real than the day, but I won’t let it break me, when I wanted it that way; sometimes all that you’ve got is your pain.” The couple offer “High Praise” to “the old lo-fi days” on a percussion-heavy number complete with a snaking guitar solo. The album concludes with a pounding rocker,“Don’t Get Down (On A Good Thing)” and a big ballad led by Christine entitled “Heart Of Stone” which has good guitar work and an anthemic chorus.

Both vocalists have strong voices that do justice to the songs. As on another Canadian album I recently reviewed, there is not a lot of actual blues here, but it is a listenable record that deserves to do well for the duo.

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.