Watermelon Slim – Winners of Us All

Dreamplay Records

www.watermelonslim.com

14 Tracks – 59 minutes

Bill “Watermelon Slim” Homans was born in Boston. His father was a progressive attorney and freedom rider. His brother is a classical musician. He grew up in North Carolina where he heard his housekeeper singing John lee Hooker songs. He attended college on a fencing scholarship but left early to enlist to fight in Vietnam. While laid up on a hospital bed in Vietnam, he taught himself how to play on a $5 upside down left-handed guitar using a triangle pick he cut from the lid of a coffee can and using his Zippo lighter as a slide. He ended his tour of duty in Vietnam in 1970 and in 1973 released his first album, a furiously anti-war album, Merry Airbrakes. 

He returned to Boston and took on many jobs over the next 30 years including truck driver, forklift operator, sawmiller (where he lost a partial finger), a funeral officiator, among others. He also became a small-time criminal, which ultimately forced him to leave Boston and relocate to Oklahoma where he became a watermelon farmer, thus giving him his nickname of Watermelon Slim.

Somewhere in between all those activities, He completed two undergrad and a master’s degree and joined Mensa, the organization that recognizes certified genius. But he continued truck driving as his principal income using the long hours in a truck singing a cappella songs to himself that kept him awake and entertained, but also became the source of the songs for his albums. In 2002, he had a near-fatal heart attack. After recovering from that and with a new direction in life, he moved to a new emergence as a blues performer.

His music has received 17 Blues Music Award nominations, including six nominations in both 2007 and 2008. Only a few musicians like B.B. King and Buddy Guy have ever received six nominations in a single year and Slim holds the record as the only artist to receive six nominations in two consecutive years. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2015.

His gruff, but passionate vocals intertwine on fourteen original songs with his razor-sharp slide guitar work and harmonica, which he says is in keeping with the style of Slim Harpo. He is joined on the album by Joanna Miller on drums & percussion, Gilles Fournier on upright bass, John Soles on electric bass, Jay Nowicki on electric guitar, Jeremy Rusu on piano, clarinet, accordion and mandolin, Don Zueff on fiddle, and with vocals from Jolene Higgins, Sol James and Ray “Coco” Stevenson. Scott Nolan plays the drums, percussion, guitar and adds vocals on the title song. Chris Carmichael plays drums on “They Didn’t Even Give Us a Parade”.

The opening track “Pick Up My Guidon”, is a reference to a flag or pennant that is carried by a military platoon signifying their unit designation.  With a slightly gospel air, the song provides a brief look back at his military life, but states that “after all of these years, I only serve with God”.  “Mean Streets” addresses those who are homeless and questions those who have not experienced the horrors of that experience and he seems to express it from a personal experience as he says, “don’t ever let me go back on those mean streets again.” “Australia” is an a cappella song with Slim backed by a men’s choir in Irish bar-type vocal and a brief blast of harmonica.

In another bar song complete with a honky-tonk piano, he sings, ” I was home from the factory and no one else was around, had a hard day at 9 to 5…I was feeling like a cross between Lightning Hopkins and King Kong, picked up my guitar and played “Four Hideous Little Songs”. “Cabbagetown” is a quiet acoustic, slightly countrified look back at a time he left a community and “gave up drink”. “WBCN” starts with a drone and moves into a fiddle and military sounding drumbeat. The song again addresses a past military life.

“You’re Going to Need Someone on Your Bond” is a Delta blues featuring Slim’s slide guitar work. “Winners of Us All” acknowledges all of the people that live on wages that just lets them get by as he is “singing for a whole bunch of people, billions of folks living far from on high / they don’t buy new pick-ups, they can’t afford CD’s / they don’t matter to folks who smell like Calvin Klein”.  “They Never Even Gave Us a Parade” again references his time in Vietnam and his return after being wounded. His harmonica delivers a sympathetic cry to the lyrics addressing the wounded and dead from that occurred in the conflict.

He plays the National Steel as he declares that he cannot stay with the “cold wind blowing in my veins” with the “Northern Blues”. “Max The Baseball Clown” is a bouncy tribute to the clown that made the rounds of baseball stadiums back in Slim’s early days in North Carolina. An American Indian chant opens the next song as Slim declares “one day I am going to make my “Wolf Cry”.

“Barrett’s Privateers” is a rousing sea shanty addressing the life of seafaring sailors. The album concludes with “Dark Genius”, first addressing the life of President John F. Kennedy and then shifting to Slim’s willingness to “always speak my mind, get my ass in trouble / if oppression pushes you down, friends are hard to find / that’s when I’ll come running on the double / if martial law comes down and the picture turns around / and see me grimace inside then you know that I set and sung enough, it is time to show my stuff/ and I’ll take a heavy toll before I go”.

Watermelon Slim’s lyrics are just as sharp and poignant as ever, which has always been the pinnacle of his work on his many albums over the years. Here he is reminiscing about his many past experiences, speaks for how the common man survives today, and concludes with a song seemingly addressing a concern for what the world is coming to presently. The songs sometimes drift away from what I consider the blues, but he is presenting a cross-section of life, which makes you want to listen carefully.

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.

King Bee and The Stingers – Live from The Slippery Noodle

Independent 

http://www.kingbeestingers.com

15 Songs – 79 minutes

King Bee and The Stingers first formed in 2006 with Mark Menefee as the band leader, guitarist, and vocalist. The band found some regional success around their western Indiana home grounds. The band was elevated when Mark’s daughter, Sarah, took over as lead singer in 2015. The band was selected to represent the Kentuckiana Blues Society in the 2018 and 2019 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, where they were semi-finalists on both occasions.

During this same period, Mark Carnes and Jeff Shew was also selected by the Kentuckiana Blues Society to represent them in solo/duo competition of the IBC. Mark played harmonica and guitar with Jeff on bass and both shared vocals. In 2019, Mark Menefee decided to retire as a musician and instead became the King Bee’s manager. Sarah started reshaping the band first by adding Mark and Jeff to the line-up. The new line-up was completely transformed with new guitarist Matt Boat, Wes Schrimsher on keyboards, and Paul Karaffa on drums joining the band.

That new configuration of the band then competed again in the Kentuckiana Blues Society’s Challenge and won the opportunity to participate in the 2023 IBC, where they were again semi-finalists. In addition, Sarah Menefee gained recognition and was invited to perform in the Women in Blues special show that is part of IBC. She has also since performed in a Women in Blues tour.

On April 12, 2024, the band performed and was recorded in a live performance at Indianapolis’ Slippery Noodle. On September 20, the band returned to The Slippery Noodle for a cd release party. This is the band’s third release with Sarah Menefee at the helm. The band’s previous album, Don’t Move So Fast, received national and international play with the title song and album making the charts on many playlists across the country and world. Six of the songs on this live album are from that album and two new originals are thrown in. The remainder of the songs are covers, but with Sarah in the lead of this very talented band, they deliver classic blues songs with a new vision.

After a brief intro, the band kicks the concert off with Willie McTell’s “Statesboro Blues”. Mark’s harmonica immediately kicks into the groove and Sarah gets the band rocking with Wes’ organ also standing out.  “Where Were You?” is the first song from their previous record and lets Matt’s guitar shine as Sarah says, “you have gone and left me blue”. Danielle Nicole’s “Love My Baby” is next with a bouncy, soulful treatment with Wes mixing some top-notch piano into the song.

Sarah establishes that she “Ain’t That Kind of Woman” on the second previously released song. She notes that “I’ve got a no-good cheatin’ man, he loves to hurt me so bad…but I came to my senses, baby, and kicked him out the door”. “Four Roses” continues the list of previous originals. “First thing she did was order a whiskey” and then asked, “don’t you wanna dance with me”. “Bartender, pour Four Roses…Let’s have a good time”.

Sarah finds all of the emotion in Joe William’s “Please Don’t Go” and Matt burns up the frets. On the title song “Don’t Move So Fast” from the previous album, Sarah tells him to slow down on his courting. She declares that she and all of the players in her band are a “Hoochie Coochie Man”, the famed song from Willie Dixon. Mark’s harmonica again is a standout. “Once Had a Man” is the fifth song from the previous album. Matt plays some smooth guitar and Wes’ piano tinkles along behind as Sarah declares “he laughs when he cheats, smiles when he lies, but you know you ought to know when you look into his eyes… it won’t take you very long to realize that he is a no-good…mess” all in a very deep blues run.

Big Mama Thornton’s “I’m Feelin’ Alright” gets a joyous romp as she declares “I love my baby more than I do myself”. Matt and Wes again have some excellent solo pieces in the song. That is followed by Al Green’s “Take Me to the River” with Wes again tearing it up on the organ and Mark’s harmonica getting the river rolling. Sarah tells him that his “Bad Things” “got to go” in the final previous original.

The two new originals follow. On “Shakin’ to the Bone”, Sarah starts a call and response from the band before asking the doctor “to give me what I need, help me get some sleep as I am scared and all alone”. Mark’s harmonica cries in sympathy. “Late Night Crew” lets loose in an all-out rocking number as they “are going out drinking tonight, totally out of control, never felt so right”. The album concludes with B.B. King’s “Sweet Little Angel”, a fitting calm blues song to wind down the performance.

The originals, mostly composed by Jeff Shew and Sarah in conjunction with the band’s input, all stand up well against the well-known covers. The concert proves the band are not a studio driven and corrected entity like so many of today’s pop music performers. Sarah has continued to develop her powerful vocals, demonstrating an emotional strength that proves she deserves consideration as one of the upper echelon female blues singers on the circuit today. And every band member behind her demonstrates professional and technical expertise that deliver an excellent concert experience. The album certainly deserves further national and international exposure for the group.

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.

Gary Nicholson – Common Sense

Qualified Records

www.garynicholsonmusic.com

12 songs – 45 minutes

The casual music fan may not recognize Gary Nicholson’s name, but they will most certainly have heard more than a few of the 700+ recordings of his songs that have been released. The Garland, Texas, native and two-time Grammy award winner has written tracks across multiple genres, including country (Willie Nelson, George Strait and Waylon Jennings), blues (BB King, Buddy Guy and Keb’ Mo’), pop (Ringo Starr and Neil Diamond), rock (Fleetwood Mac and Phish), folk (John Prine), bluegrass (Del McCoury) and Americana (Guy Clark).  Fittingly, over 30 of his compositions have been recorded by Delbert McClinton, another artist who comfortably straddles multiple genres.

Nicholson came of age in the turbulent sixties, a time when he also experienced the healing power of music to unite. His latest release, Common Sense, finds him focused on addressing the current polarity in American politics, a twelve song collection that speaks to the divisions the country faces with both hope and humor. With a crack band and some stellar guests, typically superb songs and fine production by Nicholson and Kevin McKendree, Common Sense is a hugely enjoyable, uplifting release that is impossible to listen to without a smile and a renewed sense of optimism.

Nicholson sings and plays acoustic and electric guitars. He is joined by McKendree on piano, organ, electric guitar and bass; Jim Hoke on harmonica, dobro, saxophone, steel guitar and acoustic guitar; James Pennebaker on electric and acoustic guitars; Lynn Williams on drums; Mike Joyce on bass; and Harry Stinson on backing vocals. They are joined at various times by Rick Vito on slide and 12 string guitars; Anson Funderburgh, Colin Linden and Yates McKendree on guitar; the McCrary Sisters on backing vocals; Chris Carmichael on strings and arrangement; Luke Bulla on fiddle and mandolin; Richard Bailey on banjo; David M. Santos on acoustic bass and Kenneth Blevins on drums. On “Make Good Trouble”, Nicholson brings in an entirely different band, with Mike Finnegan on electric piano and Hammond organ, Hutch Hutchinson on bass, Tony Braunegal on drums, John Jorgensen on guitar and the McCrary Sisters and Perry Coleman on backing vocals.

As one might expect with such an array of instrumentation, the songs on Common Sense run the gamut of American song, from the AOR of “Follow The Money” (with great slide guitar by Vito), the upbeat pop-rock of “What A Little Love Will Do” and the droll folk of “Bob Dylan Whiskey” to the country rock of “Worry B Gone” and the soul-blues of “All That Makes Me Happy Is The Blues”.

Nicholson sings in a pitch-perfect, road worn voice that suits the songs perfectly, imbuing them alternatively with hope, belief and frustration, often with a large slice of humor on the side. The acoustic folk pop of the title track reminds us that “If you’re going hunting, you’re going to need a gun. If you’re going to school or church, you shouldn’t need one. If he’s acting crazy and talking really mean, don’t let him go buy an AR-15.” The beautiful piano-driven ballad that closes the album, “There’s No Them”, emphasizes that “There’s no ‘them’. There’s only ‘us’. There’s no other. We are one.” And the strummed acoustic folk of “Woody’s Dream” considers a fundamental question: “I wish every single soldier in every single war, would stop and remember what it is he’s fighting for. Lay down his guns and close his children close, and try to remember what matters most. And think about what it would be like… to let the rich folks fight.”

Common Sense is a simply fabulous release. Hugely recommended.

Reviewer Rhys “Lightnin'” Williams plays guitar in a blues band based in Cambridge, England. He also has a day gig as a lawyer.

Sunny Bleau and The Moons – Bag of Tracks

CoccoMusic

www.sunnybleau.com

9 Tracks – 38 minutes

Kelly “Sunny Bleau” Brock was originally from Scottsdale, Arizona but now resides in Oxford, Mississippi. She was given her nickname “Sunny” when she was young because of her bright and playful personality. She started writing poetry and short stories when she was young and studied writing in college where she wrote single act and full plays. Her father bought her a guitar for her 16th birthday, and she quickly learned some basic chords.

In 2019, she met Nicholas “Nic” Cocco and the two began writing songs. Nic became her producer and guitarist. Initially the two were performing in senior homes in Detroit where she played the kazoo. This led her to learn the harmonica, which she now plays as part of her band’s music. Nic started playing guitar at age 7. He further studied the guitar at Berklee College of Music in Boston where he developed skills in jazz, blues, fusion and progressive rock. He has over 100 published works and has produced and worked with a large number of acts.

In addition to Nic, the band consists of Tom Sumner on drums and Jon Staercke on bass and backing vocals. Tom has played with many acts over the years including The Diamonds, The Drifters, Freddy Cannon and Del Shannon. He became a radio host on a succession of shows until he retired in 2022 and joined the band in 2024. Jon started playing guitar at 17 and after a 22-year career in the navy, has immersed himself in music playing, guitar, bass and drums.

Bag of Tracks is Sunny’s third album and is a mixed bag of recordings beginning with a live recording of a rocking cover of “Little by Little”. Sunny gives a clear, powerful vocal performance. Next up is an original studio recording of “Vegas Blues (Hey, Mister Rich Man)”, which slows things down with a slightly country feel and her announcement that her “sugar daddy is coming to town”. A cover of Tear for Fear’s 1985 hit song “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” is noted as having been produced for HBO Films.

“Can’t Turn Down Rock and Roll” shifts back to an original studio production with the band firing up with a song that sounds like something Pat Benatar or The Bangles would have recorded. A cover of The Moody Blues’ hit 1965 song, ” Nights in White Satin” is next and is followed by a live recording of an acoustic version of the traditional “House of The Rising Sun”.

“Football Fever” is noted as being recorded for “Sports Media”. It is a rocking blast of sound with a spoken football commentary on a football play and a declaration of what is great about a football season. “He’s My Peach” slows things back down with another live acoustic song. The album concludes with a live recording of “Merry Christmas, Baby” offers a bluesy Christmas ballad as she says “you sure did treat me nice”.

The album is a mishmash of styles, mostly ingrained in pop. Only the last song offers much in the way of blues. It appears that the album serves as a display of the versatility of Sunny’s powerful, slightly raspy vocals and the delivery of a talented band. One can look forward to her next album, which has been announced as being produced by Mick Kolassa, leading hopes that it will lean more into the blues.

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.

For Mike Wheeler, the veteran blues guitarist and member of the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame, the blues is about storytelling and feeling. Growing up, his mother played blues records around the house and he fell in love with Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf.

While the blues, naturally, is the closest to his heart, Wheeler has a record collection with over 6,000 LP’s and 8,000 45s, spanning rock, blues, jazz, soul, and more. He said the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, the Isley Brothers, Parliament, Funkadelic, BB King, Freddie King, Buddy Guy, and Stanley Clark were among his favorites.

Also close to his heart is Two Steps from the Blues by Bobby Bland, an album he would listen to with his parents on drives from Chicago to Mississippi. Wheeler added that Physical Grafitti by Led Zeppelin, Band of Gypsies by Jimi Hendrix, and Wish You Were Here are some of his vinyl rock records.

Among his collection is the rare Electric Lady Land LP with naked women on the cover and various rare Prince albums. Wheeler said his favorite record shops in the Chicago area are Hoarders, Dusty Groove, and Hyde Park Record Store.

“I got so many. Man, I’m just an avid music lover. I’m in record buying rehab right now. So I’m not finding records right now. I gotta pull down, I got too many. I go all over the world and everywhere I go in the world. I go find shops.”

Wheeler’s eclectic music taste bleeds into his solo work. He listed Jimi Hendrix and Tito Jackson as among his greatest influences on his guitar playing and said he learned to sing in church choirs as a boy. Wheeler described his music as a mix of R&B, jazz, rock, and blues, an ever evolving layer of sound.

Wheeler implements pieces of a variety of blues styles and said that different blues genres like Delta, Chicago, Piedmont, and said the distinct and overlapping styles keeps the music varied and interesting.

“That’s why admire musicians like Eric Clapton, because he’s, able to play acoustic blues, electric blues, Chicago blues, he plays it all. So that’s what, that’s what keep the music interesting”

While Wheeler’s style is so natural that it is almost automatic now, it stems from multiple guitar influences.

“I always tell a lot of the musicians that your style is the sum of all your influences. Like (for me), Albert King was big for me, BB (King), and Jimi, Hendrix. A lot of times I get tired of hearing myself play. That’s why I go see other guitar players.”

If he could join any blues musician of all time onstage, Wheeler said he would join Jimi Hendrix, in 1970 with Buddy Miles and Billy Cox in the lineup when the group recorded Band of Gypsies.

“Definitely, it would have to be Jimi Hendrix. Man, He’s the reason why I picked up a guitar, when I was like 13 years old and my neighbor gave me a Jimi Hendrix album, smash hits.”

In the 1980’s, Wheeler cut his chops in the Chicago Blues Circuit. Chicago born and breed, the city holds a special place in Wheeler’s heart.

“I’ve been a lot of places. Man, nothing compares to Chicago. Chicago will always be home. Once you make it here, man, you can play anywhere,” Wheeler said. “And once you get established in Chicago, you work all over Chicago, you don’t have to worry about it. People come from everywhere just to hang out at these clubs and to hear the music.”

When he was first establishing himself as a band leader, over 20 years ago, Wheeler regularly played at two iconic clubs that have since closed down; Harlem Avenue Lounge and B.L.U.E.S. on Halsted.

“The vibes were wonderful. Man, they were just iconic clubs and they are no longer here. I’ll miss them both. Hopefully somebody opens up both of those clubs back one day.”

Wheeler’s work ethic is undeniable. Since forming the Mike Wheeler Band, his first solo project, in the early 2000’s, he has played gigs nearly 7 times a week, for over 20 years. Wheeler’s capacity to play on a daily basis stems from his “love of the music and the love of performing and just being in the clubs.” Returning to play live, after a forced hiatus during the Covid Pandemic, was a jubilant experience and made Wheeler appreciate performing even more.

Through his voyages into R&B, Jazz, and Rock, Wheeler feels that he can help expand the genre of blues.

“It’s easy to get stuck on the stuff that was done in the 50s and the 60s and 70s. Some people think blues is, if you’re not sounding like Muddy Waters, you’re not playing the blues, which is not true.”

Wheeler joined Big James and the Chicago Playboys, a seminal blues band for his development, after he connected with Big James through shared eclectic musical taste, and in particular the funkiness emanating from George Clinton and Funkadelic. After the pair spoke for three hours on the phone about music, Wheeler joined the band. Their sound would be characterized by a blend of soul, funk, and blues.

Lyrically, Wheeler tries to tell a story, with a beginning, middle and end – a story that everyone can relate to. He hopes the themes have longevity and that they will remain relevant with time.

Moving forward, Wheeler wants to put a new record out, perform at more festivals, and tour internationally again, specifically in Europe.

While Wheeler now fully embraces and advocates for the Blues, his first band, in the 1970’s, played funk and R&B. The band, DTI, was managed by the bass player’s mother, who encouraged them to play blues as well. The band resisted. That is, they resisted until, they went down to play the Delta Blues Festival in Mississippi, in the summer of 1980. Wheeler said this was his first blues show, and he was completely blown away by acts like Koko Taylor, who he would later tour with.

“Oh, man, KoKo was nice as can be. Man, you know, I actually first met her in 1980 when I first started playing the blues. And she was like, she wanted us to join her band back then. It touched me. I was like, wow, just knowing who she was, and than chances to play with her.”

On another occasion, when Wheeler was playing guitar with the Big James and the Chicago Playboys at a venue in Bloomington, IL, Taylor rolled up to the stage in a wheelchair.

“As soon she got to that stage, she jumped up and got on that stage. It’s like a fireball hit the stage, and then she did her thing. Man, it was an awesome show. And after the show, they put her right back in the wheelchair.”

Wheeler said his best blues moment came at Buddy Guy’s when he joined BB King, George Benson, Buddy Guy, and Jimmy Johnson in a performance.

“So George, BB, and Buddy play for a little while, then I got back up to play with BB and Buddy. It was an amazing night. Man, I got home, I couldn’t sleep. I was, I was so, so amped up. Man, it was amazing.It was unbelievable. Man, it was like all this like a dream come true. Man, you know, ever since I was a little boy, I always knew about BB King my whole life.”

Wheeler holds Buddy Guy in similarly high regard and is grateful to be in the Chicago music scene together. The pair share a friendship, and Wheeler is close with Guy’s children.

“Buddy is the ultimate, man. Just to be around, I see Buddy all the time. Man, and Buddy just, he’s so cool. And  he mentors the younger guys, gives us a place to play, down in his club, Legends. Man, he’s just an icon, man.”

Wheeler said it was a pleasure to play with Shemekia Copeland and Joanna Connor, some of the best vocalists in Blues on several occasions.

Jeannie, Wheeler’s wife, has been integral to his success, he said. “Sweet Girl” and “I’m Hooked”, from Turn Up!! (2016) are both inspired by her, Wheeler said. Jeannie attends all his concerts and paid for his first solo album.

“Man, she been there from day one. She was going to college, and they give her college money. She said, ‘You need a record.’ And she’s just an inspiration, man. She does every show, and when things go wrong with me, I can talk with her, and she and I know she’ll give me a level headed answer. She keeps me grounded.”

As he grows older, Wheeler has enjoyed the process of becoming a mentor to young guitar players in the way older blues cats took him under their wing while he was an up and coming musician. He added he is impressed by the talent out there and enjoys witnessing the blues persist and evolve. Among many, Jamiah Rogers and Nicholas Alexander stood out to Wheeler.

Wheeler also said he is impressed by Gary Clark Jr. and Doyle Bramhall II. After seeing Bramhall open for Eric Clapton, Wheeler bought his record, which became a favorite.

“They just touched me in a certain way. They seem like two old souls, him and Gary Clark, Jr. And I met both of them, and they both cool people, you know, and that’s the main thing, when you can meet musicians that you like and respect, and then they turn out to be good people.”

Wheeler currently plays only vintage guitars, and considers himself a Fender Stratocaster guy, modeling himself after Jimi Hendrix. He owns a 72’ Strat, a 75’ Strat, and a 78’ Strat. On top of that, he has a 1970 Gibson and a newer Gibson signed by BB King.

Wheeler said he is trying to write more inspiring songs – songs that make people think and feel. A recent song he wrote with Demetria Taylor “Doin’ What I’m Supposed to Do” is an affirmation that he was destined to be a blues singer and songwriter.

“That’s why it’s called ‘Doin’ What I’m supposed to do.’ You know, it’s not an accident, it’s not a surprise. This is what I’m supposed to be doing. You know, writing inspiring songs. In my career, I’m most proud of the fact that I wanted to do it, you know, be a musician to get out here and play. And I did. I’m a proud of all my records, but I’m proud of the fact that this is what I want to be and I accomplished it.”

Moving forward, Wheeler wants to continue making music and performing prolifically, and to honor his mother.

Wheeler said his mom was the reason he became a musician. When she passed away this September, Wheeler used the blues to process, cope, and remember her.

“We listened to all genres, but I got my introduction to blues from her. I was, like, five years old. It (the music) definitely gets me through it,” Wheeler said. “Because now I hear a lot of songs that were her favorite songs, like Bobby Bland. She liked a lot of BB King. She liked Albert King’s I’ll Play the Blues for You album. Every song on that was like her favorite song. She’s the reason why I’m a musician right now. The blues music definitely eases the pain.”

Wheeler plans to write songs in honor of his mother on his upcoming record. He said the power of the genre of the blues is that it “relates to all emotions.”

“Everybody goes through loss at some point in life. You know, some more than others. When I write a song about my mom, somebody else gonna be able to help them relate to the loss of their mom, or their mom that’s still alive. Blues is about real life, everyday life.”

“That’s my oldest memory. Being being five years old and being there with my mom, listening to music. I would just sit right there and listen to records with her. That was always our time together. She got to be with me until I’m no longer here, and she’s always going to be a part of my life. ”

At age 10, his mother allowed Wheeler to buy records for her from the store on the corner, down the street from where they lived. One of the first record he bought her was an early Sly and the Family Stone LP.

The pair also listened to rock and blues on the radio together, specifically to a DJ Herb Kitt on WVON, where Wheeler first heard Led Zeppelin’s “A Whole Lot of Love” and “In-A-Gaada-Da-Vida” by Iron Butterfly.

“We listen to WVON. It was a guy named Herb Kitt, and he played, he played everything. That was my introduction to rock music. I heard he had to be like 1970 I had to be like nine years old. I heard Led Zeppelin “A Whole lot of Love.” He played it. And he played “In-A-Gaada-Da-Vida” by Iron Butterfly on the radio, and then it was on the same station. He played those records all night.”

Kitt also played Albert King, BB King, and Buddy Guy, putting blues on the FM airwaves in  a way that seldom exists today. The eccentric DJ only accepted requests from women, Wheeler said.

While blues radio has declined, Wheeler said there are many new ways to promote yourself as a musician today, especially on social media and the internet.

Ultimately, Wheeler wants to connect with people through his music.

“I want them to listen, to try to understand the story behind them (the songs), and feel it. I just hope that my songs make people feel something.”

Mike is playing all around Chicago in October and November. Visit Mike’s website for information to catch a live show. www.mikewheelerband.com

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.

The Pat Fulgoni Blues Experience

Chocolate Fireguard – 2024

www.facebook.com/PatFulgoniOfficial

9 tracks; 47 minutes

Pat Fulgoni is an experienced singer from Yorkshire, U.K. with the sort of vocal power one associates with the likes of Free’s Paul Rogers, combined with a soulful feel. His current band has been together for three years and this is their first studio release. Alongside Pat are Jacob Beckwith on guitar, Sam Bolt on keys, Rory Wells on bass and Zebedee Sylvester on drums; studio engineer Alex Eden adds harp to a few numbers. There are four originals, two written by Pat alone and two with help from band members, alongside five diverse covers.

The first original builds slowly with Jacob’s guitar nicely underpinned by harp and piano as Pat confesses that he is a “Drifter”, the tune taking on a funkier approach as it goes along. “Keep The Blues Alive” does what the title suggests as the band strikes up a Muddy Waters-style riff over which Pat gives us an excellent vocal performance, the tune being long enough to give solo space to guitar and piano; the lyrics suggest that “in these times of isolation we’ve got to keep the blues alive, it’s the only thing that speaks to me”, so Pat lets the blues wash over him. “Bleeding Heart” is stripped-back with Pat wailing the blues over just piano and harp and, placed at the half-way point in the album, makes a good interlude between the full band performances. The final original is attributed to the whole band, an eight minute twelve bar blues they call “Stickin’ The Knife In Blues”. Pat condemns those who are “on the take”, finding that there is a lot that hurts him in the world today, giving him the feeling that someone is sticking a knife into him. The whole band steps up in support and the extended length gives space for everyone to demonstrate their chops.

The originals include an intriguing re-working of “The Thrill Is Gone” in which Pat sings the lyrics over superb solo piano, far removed from the usual covers of BB King’s familiar version. The result is excellent, the piano having both jazz and classical music influences, Pat’s restrained vocals complementing the music perfectly – impressive! “Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven” is perhaps best known from Albert King’s version and makes a fine opener to the album with strong guitar work and solid vocals and the band tackles another blues great with a heavy version of “Midnight Train”, a song recorded by Buddy Guy on his 1998 album Heavy Love. While working on the greats, why not T-Bone Walker, who recorded “Confusion Blues” late in his career; Pat and the band’s take is quite funky. The final cover is Gil Scott-Heron’s “Lady Day & John Coltrane”, given a light and funky treatment that works well with some dazzling electric piano work and a great guitar outro.

This is a pleasingly varied album with plenty of light and shade and suggests that this is a band that may have a lot more to say on future releases.

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.

Mi Zang – Lonely Journey

Taihe Music Group

No web site

12 Songs – 58 minutes

While it seems inconceivable given the heritage differences, nonetheless, Mi Zang is a Chinese blues band. Led by Han Yu who is the lyricist and composer for the group and plays rhythm guitar and provides the lead vocals. The remaining band members are Wei Wei on lead guitar, Liu Jianhuang on bass, and Zhou Qingzhao on drums. Numerous other performers are included on horns and other special appearances sprinkled throughout the album. There are references indicating that Mi Zang have released previous albums, and this is their first release in four years, but no information was available about any other albums.

Blues can serve as a universal language between people of all nations as can be seen from the number of European countries with blues societies. The album consists of twelve original songs. The album cover depicts heavy traffic traveling away from a lone man sitting on the opposite side of the road with no traffic traveling in his direction, displaying a certain loneliness that is in the theme of the music and the album title.

The album opens with “Dangling Dog Blues”, a funky kick off with horns, excellent guitar, and sung in Chinese. A translation provides the information that the song is about a lonely man traveling with a stray puppy and offering the sage advice, “you can’t see the rainbow if you can’t hear the bell”. “Jungle Hunter” continues with a bouncy, easy beat with no available translation. “Don’t Take It Seriously, Li Shichang” is another upbeat number.

A translation of the title song indicates that it about the loneliness and challenges of life, sometimes with disappointment and hope, but again offering the advice “Don’t doubt there is light behind you”. Some excellent guitar work again drives the song. “When You Have Nowhere to Run” gets a slight boogie going with the title giving a strong indication of the message and the addition of a harmonica providing a strong blues flavor. “A Steelyard in Hand” offers a translation about life struggles and the determination that “half is silent and half is struggling”.  The song is a pure Chicago styled blues.

“August Boogie” is just what is says it is and featuring some honky-tonk piano by Rie Lee Kanehira. “If Love Is a River” at nine minutes is the longest song on the album and again features Rie Lee this time on organ. An explanation of the song compares love to a river, sometimes it flows smoothly and sometimes it is turbulent. The guitar indicates the ebb and flow of the song. “This City” has a reggae style rhythm backed by horns.

“Buses Are Crowded” is an evident issue in this song. “Sing The Blues at Home” gets things rocking. “Blue Mojito” concludes the album with a funky instrumental.

Be forewarned that the only English spoken on the album occurs when the group shuts out “August Boogie”. If lyrics are an important part of your listening and you don’t understand Chinese, then this should be a consideration. However, Mi Zang is clearly a very talented group with excellent guitar performances throughout and therefore worth a listen.

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.