Peter Kern – Guitar Man

Self-Release – 2024

www.peterkern.at

15 tracks; 52 minutes

Peter Kern has been on the scene in his home country of Austria for some time, having played with the likes of Big Jay McNeely, Louisiana Red and John Primer, as well as taking third place at the IBCs back in 2001. His latest release is all original and features Peter on guitar and vocals, accompanied by Richard Haasz on bass and Michael Strasser on drums; piano on one cut is by Csanad Igali and harp is added to five tracks by Andras Köhalmi, plus to a further track by Peter himself. Peter is a tasteful player, so nothing is overdone, most tunes having strong melodies and lyrics delivered clearly and without accent in a light and pleasant style.

The album opens with the harp meshing well with Peter’s guitar as he is granted a wish and immediately wants “One More Kiss” from his girl. It’s an attractive opener, followed by the faster-paced “Good As Well As Bad”, Peter recognizing that it is not just the good things in life that shape us. The title track is autobiographical, Peter stating that he was always destined to be a guitarist: “I was born to play and I love it so much that I want to do it every day”. The music here is some way from straight blues, but is an attractive tune with hints of country rock as Peter plays a rousing solo. “Nothing Can Keep My Spirit Down” stays in a country vein before Peter rocks out on the piano-led “I Don’t Need No Doctor”, Peter adding some Chuck Berry licks for good measure.

“Guardian Angel” has campfire harmonica, Peter finding that the Devil is also not far away. “Keep On” chugs along well and has a strong guitar solo before Peter heads back up those country roads for “Don’t Think It’s Over”, assisted by a Jimmy Reed style harp solo from Peter himself. “The Friend” has an elegant guitar opening to a tale of an unhappy child who just had “nobody to tell their troubles to”, but starting on guitar seemed to solve the problem for Peter! Harp and guitar make the Bo Diddley-styled “Do It While You Can” barrel along, Peter shows more of his blues credentials on “Rambler” and “Ain’t It A Shame” has a sing-along quality, harp and rhythm guitar again meshed together. Peter tells us “What I Like About The Blues” – “It’s music from the soul” – as he plays slide over a steady base laid down by the rhythm section. The album closes with two positive songs: “I Get High” explains that you don’t need drugs to enjoy the good things in life, Peter’s fast-paced finger picking placed over a riff drawn from Slim Harpo; “We’re Gonna Make It Someday” portrays a positive outlook on life, harp featuring strongly on the uptempo tune, Peter taking one last fleet-fingered solo towards the end.

Peter Kern sings and plays well, blending blues with elements of country rock. The lyrics reflect on his interests and beliefs and present a positive view of life, rather refreshing in these troubled times! No excesses, no shredding and a tasteful set that deserves to be heard.

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.

 Blues Blast Music Awards Submissions 

Submissions from artists and labels for the 18th Annual Blues Blast Music Awards are open until May 31st, 2025.

Albums and videos released between June 1. 2024 and May 31, 2025 are eligible this year.

Submit your music now. Click this link: www.bluesblastmagazine.com/blues-blast-awards-submission-information

Mitch Ryder – With Love

Ruf Records

www.mitchryder.net

10 tracks

With over a half century in the music business, Mitch Ryder continues to deliver some interesting and cool stuff.  This is his 21^st studio album and considers it to be one of his two best efforts. The first white singer to be inducted into the R&B hall of fame, one has to be impressed that a singer of this magnitude has opened up to give us one of his best performances.

Why is that? Ryder usually keeps his feelings to himself. Letting himself out of his personal shell, Ryder allows himself to aptly and openly express his stories and personal failures in his music. He writes in the liner note about his 59 years in the music business, how he prefers to live in Germany and wok touring Europe each year. He expresses his gratitude in achieving stardom here in his early career and appreciates his fans. He also hates what he calls the dirty side of the recording industry. He moved to Germany in 1979 and also appreciates the new fans and their support of his music over the 21 albums he’s produced.

Joining Ryder on this album ad some talented musicians. Kuis Resto does a fine job on keys. Laura Chavez and Brian “Roscoe” White are excellent on the guitar work. Dave McMurray is outstanding on sax and flute. Jeff Canady provides apt support on drums and Chuck Bartels is also a great part of the backline on his bass. Mahindi Masai adds some delightful percussion. On Sanguine we have Don Was on bass, also solid. Back vocals are added by Mitch, Hershel Boone and Terena Boone.

The album opens with “Lilli May,” showcasing an older, darker, grittier version of the guy we came to love in the 1960s.  Great work behind him, the tenor sax is especially well done. A song of unrequited love and he can’t figure out whose fault it is. It’s a driving and interesting opener. “Pass It To The Right” is a song about the proper etiquette when passing a doobie around. Who knew there was a proper manner to participate? Well, Mitch tells us how in this Latin styled cut.  Flute adds a psychedelic air to this one and a ringing guitar makes it even more sublime. “Sanguine” transitions to a more soulful delivery and takes a lighter approach to the music. A thoughtful guitar solo helps add to the ambience as it takes us home. Then it’s the story of Ryder’s drug addiction in “One Monkey.” Mitch tells us how he overcame the monkey on his back craving smack. The song is almost lilting and quite bouncy, in contrast to the suffering he describes. Another slick guitar solo is offered up as is a 1960’s styled organ solo. “Oh What A Night” is another Latin number with a slick groove and ethereal sort of feeling as Mitch sings about the nightly partying consuming him. Piano and percussion along with some accordion make this light and airy as Ryder lyrically goes the other way.

Next is “Wrong Hands,” a song that has a Rolling Stones sound to it. One could hear Jagger sing and Woods and Richards play it on their guitars, but Ryder makes this his Stones cut as Chavez and White deliver the ax work. “Too Slow” follows with a very down tempo and slow blues rock as Ryder sings with a metered, breathy style. Ringing guitar helps set the tone and transitions to a bridge of organ and guitar that floats and sweetly flows back to the vocals. A nasty sax solo transitions us to the last verse and then sax and guitar take us home in a cool manner. “Fly” is a tome summing up Ryder’s career and his satisfaction with what he’s produced and done. He expresses his joy and happiness with his work and music. It’s hip and slick. The sax and backing effort is again nicely done. Up next is “The Artist.” Here Ryder takes a solemn and staid approach to deliver this one. He is somber and the flute and piano accompaniment help sell this feeling as Ryder tells his story as how being an artist is sometimes accompanied by trials and tribulations. The finale is an R&B cut entitled “Just The Way It Is;” here Ryder takes a somewhat light approach to addressing his mortality and eventual death. I guess he feels it’s just the way it is, and he’s right. We have no control and he accepts this with an open mind.

Ryder is striving for new and better stuff to produce. While he addresses his mortality in the closing song, he’s also not giving up on working to do something better each time he goes into the studio. Time has made him sound older, wiser, and a little weary but he and his team still write great songs and he delivers them with the same grit and passion he had in his youth. The old version of Mitch Ryder was very cool and so is this one. He’s older but he remains cool and edgy. It’s an enjoyable set of tunes with some superb musicians delivering outstanding performances on Ryder’s behalf.  If you like Mitch, you’ll love this album.

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.

Daddy’s Work Blues Band & Giotis Kytarris – Blues Machine

Self-Released

www.daddysworkbluesband.bandcamp.com

9 Tracks  – 44 minutes

The Greek based Daddy’s Work Blues Band has been around for over a decade, releasing their initial album, First, in 2022. The band members’ relationship goes back to their teenage years playing around the suburbs of Athens. They played in many festivals in Greece and have supported performers like Louisiana Red, Doctor Feelgood, and Martin Turner (ex-Wishbone Ash). The band consists of Dimitris  Doulgeridis on electric and acoustic guitars, Stathis Anestis on electric and double bass, Efthymios Polyzos on drums, and Giannis Pachaidis on harmonica.

Like the band, Giotis Kytarris is an Athens based musician and tattoo artist. He has lived as a busking musician wandering many years in Europe and America. He studied the works of Lightning Hopkins, Muddy Waters, John lee Hooker, Howlin’ Wolf and others in learning his craft. He has shared the stage with many Greek performers and with luminaries like Louisiana Red and Nick Gravenites. He sings and play slides with guitars, including cigar box guitars, that he builds himself.

Giotis and the band have met many times on the stage and jamming together. Their chemistry led to the idea of recording together based on Giotis’ Blues and Roots material.

Dimitris takes the lead vocal for the opening track, “Baby’s Got the Train”.  The band comes out hot with upfront slide and the Giannis’ harmonica immediately kicking in as he sings “my baby has left me all alone” and he begs her “to come back home”. This is a high energy start for the album.  Giotis takes over the vocals starting with “Barrio”, which has a jug band sound and a feel of southwest Texas with references to San Antonio.  Giotis provides some nice slide guitar work on the song.  “Blues Machine” as he asks, “see that my grave is kept clean”.

“By The Highway Side” starts with an ominous tone with vocals again by Dimitris as he notes that “I cannot rest my spirit as I am looking at the long road”. Giotis returns on vocals on “Danger (You Mean)” with Giannis harmonica crying through the song. “Iced Moon” moves to acoustic guitar and Giotis asks “would you die for me; I would die for you”.

“Lockdown” is a jumping rock number with a hoedown feel. Cony Efthimaldi guests on vocals on “Love of My Own” which is cited in the liner notes as an arrangement of Michael Powers’ “Graffiti” with spoken word content from Amy Winehouse’s “Me & Mrs. Jones”. The song is a pleasant pop concoction but seems out of place with the rest of the album, which is solidly locked into blues rock. The album concludes with “Tell Me Mama” and adds George Stefanakis on Hammond organ as Giotis says “tell me baby what you want, don’t play with me honey”.

The band’s instrumental work is phenomenal with power strokes on every guitar lead, strong harmonica leads and robust backing rhythms from Stathis and Efthymios. Giotis’ vocal delivery reminds me of Mick Jagger’s vocal style. The sole downside I have with the album is that I sometimes I found the lyrics on a couple songs to be somewhat abstract and hard to follow. Even after listening to the songs repeatedly, I could not discern the ultimate meanings. Ignoring that, the overall sound of the album is enjoyable and not deterred by the deep dive on the lyrics.

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.

Farmhand – Long Hollow Blues

Self-produced as digital download

www.facebook.com/geoff.newhall

12 songs – 33 minutes

It’s always good advice not to judge a book by its cover, and the same holds true for this collection of tunes. Despite the pastoral image you see accompanying these words and despite being based in Nashville, Farmhand is a collection of a handful of the top talents in Music City, and the tunes they deliver are not laid-back country. They’re original, contemporary blues and blues-rock.

The unit consists of vocalist/harp player/rhythm guitarist Richard Fleming, a Blues Music Award-nominated tunesmith whose creations have been recorded by Buddy Guy, James Cotton, Tommy Castro and a host of others, drummer/vocalist Jimi Foglesong and bassist Geoff Newhall. They chose their name because the project came together on a farm in the Nashville suburbs.

An all-original set, it was engineered, mixed and mastered by Michael Saint-Leon at Switchyard Studio in the city. Lead shares lead guitar duties with Jamie Potterbaum and Dan Pearson. And Grammy winning drummer/producer Tom Hambridge adds his voice to one cut, too.

A driving guitar line from Potterbaum kicks off the boogie “I’m Not Complaining,” which celebrates the fact that “the way women dress these days shows a lot of skin.” The sight makes the unidentified singer’s “blood to rise.” And he’s not complaining about an interlude in an airport lounge, where a gal “made me join her mile-high club. The tempo slows to a slow shuffle for “Worthy.” It’s an interesting number in which the singer has doubts about his own worth to his lady while revealing doubts about her, too.

The mood brightens and sound intensifies with the two-four shuffle “I Still Have Dreams,” which describes reveries about the vocalist’s first girlfriend, including the way she walked with a pony tail and even the color of her toenails – along with memories of almost going to war with her GI dad. The dark “Fresh Out” uses bare-pantry images to describe the loss of a lady before “There’s Gonna Be Trouble” predicts problems because a lady’s coming on to the married vocalist. He fears that if he has one more drink, all will be lost.

The boogie “Tractor Woman” is up next, describing a girlfriend who lives “across the county line where moonshine is made” – and she’s “no powderpuff…she’s so tough” before the percussive “Clean” finds the singer “lead and mean” after cleansing himself of the bad habits that caused trouble in the past. The theme continues in the medium-slow but intense “Didn’t Mean to Do It” before yielding to the rapid-fire “Tried to Tell You,” which finds a lady having regrets about marrying her man.

The funk kicks in for “That Hit a Nerve” in which the singer reveals that “a trash-talking woman made a monkey out of me” before the band serves up a warning about drinking too much in “Underground” and finishing with “Can’t Live with Her” despite admitting he can’t live without her, too.

There’s a lot to love about this one. Every song hits home. Check it out on your favorite streaming service.

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.

Back in 1966, a new band hit the airwaves with a huge, horn-driven sound behind a brawny singer. They quickly let the world know that Detroit had more than just the sounds of Motown to offer the world.

Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels took off like a heat-seeking missile with hit records including “Devil With The Blue Dress On,” “Jenny Take A Ride,” “Sock It To Me Baby, “C.C. Rider,” and ‘Little Latin Lupe Lu,” records that filled dance floors across the country.

His star ascending, continued fame seemed a certainty for the singer.

“That’s the shame of it, you know, my exile in Europe. To remain a star in America, you have to have those power people behind you. It’s not just about having a demographic audience that’s dying to hear more. In my case, a couple things happened.”

Born in Hamtramck, Michigan, a community in the midst of Detroit City, William Levise Jr. started singing in a high school band, eventually picking his stage name out of a phone book. His career took off when he was discovered by Bob Crewe, a producer and songwriter who had struck gold with Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. The early hit records came out on one of Crewe’s record labels, New Voice. But the producer’s vision for Ryder quickly had the singer headed straight for oblivion.

“Right after we had our last hit with Mitch Ryder and Detroit Wheels, my producer decided to go in a direction that totally sabotaged what the public expected of me. He put out this schmaltzy record called What Now My Love. That caused me to sue him to break the management contract. He ended up selling my contract to Paramount. And it went from here to there to there, in the hands of different people trying to market Mitch Ryder.

“I was quickly fading. Every year that goes by that you don’t have a record, you’re getting further and further lost in people’s memories. There were no new takers. The industry people had already found new replacements because we always do that in America. We look for the youngest who have the best chance of making a high visibility impact.”

In 1971, the singer cut a a killer self-titled record as part of the band Detroit. It included a hard rocking cover of Lou Reed’s “Rock & Roll,” with Steve Hunter on guitar. Reed was so impressed that he eventually hired Hunter for his band.

While Ryder seemed to be all but dead to American listeners, it was a far different story in Europe.

“There were years without management, without a booking agent, and finally I got a break by appearing on a European television show, broadcast to 130 million people. That’s what created my fan base in Europe, and because of the non-popularity in America, but the popularity in Europe, I began signing to European labels, and none of those records were available in America. People got the impression for decades that Mitch Ryder was inactive, that I was out on pasture. Nobody knows what the hell happened to him, but in reality, I was very busy every year churning out music, recording, and touring.

“The tours in America weren’t much to be appreciated for me. The fans loved it, of course, when you would appear for them and you’d give them a good show. But we’re talking about being packaged on an oldies show, then going from oldie shows to legend shows. I don’t even know what they’re calling them now for artists my age. But the truth of the matter is, I’m doing very well. I’m more active and being more productive than I have been in a long time.

That fact is borne out by his last two releases on Ruf Records, once again shining the spotlight on Ryder around the world, including the US.

“I’ve been touring in Deutschland for 47 years, every year except for the year of the COVID. We would record some things during the course of those years. The tour in 2019 and 2020 makes up the body of the double live album, The Roof Is On Fire, released last year. They’re not recent recordings, but they are live recordings.

“The new project is very, very impressive. It comes out of a studio in Detroit, Rust Belt Studio in Royal Oak, Michigan. We laid down tracks in five days, then took another ten days to do overdubs. It was a quick project, but the reason it was quick was because of the prep, a lot of preparation, and a lot of very, very good talent on it musically, including Laura Chavez on guitar. By the way, the writing is excellent, too. So you’ve got good songs, good production, good musicians, and you’ve got a great album, With Love.

The latest album project was guided by another Detroit native, producer Don Was, who has receive six Grammy awards, including one for Bonnie Raitt’s 1989 release, Nick Of Time. He has also produced a number of albums by the Rolling Stones, Elton John, Willie Nelson, and Bob Dylan.

“We’ve known each other a long, long time. Originally he was a fan of my work. When he started spreading his wings in production, I was there with him to help him out on a couple of projects. I had already established myself as an artist, and Don appreciated the help. And then, over the years, we’ve done a couple other projects together. I think seven years ago was the last time. He’s a Detroit guy, loves the music that comes out of Detroit. I do too. I think it’s a little different than other places. I’m not sure that’s not a bias, but it feels to me and sounds to me like it’s a different thing from the rest of the country. But I wouldn’t put my hand on a Bible for that one.

The album is filled with original songs that find Ryder pondering the lessons learned over the last 80 years.

“One Monkey” is obviously about addiction. It chronicles a part of my life that’s no longer a part of my life, and hasn’t been a part of my life for decades. And “Pass It To The Right”, it’s about introducing somebody to pot smoking who’s never done it before. It’s two different situations, I’d say about 20 years separating those two incidents. The album has a lot of different sonic textures. I like that. These musicians that I worked with, they all grew up under the influence of Mitch Ryder. When they came into the studio, they were getting paid, but they came out of friendship, too. In their minds, they wanted to help me make the best record I could make. And I think they succeeded at that task.”

Ryder and the band turn the energy level up several notches on “Wrong Hands,” a song that delivers a message with Ryder declaring, “Love, peace, and happiness are words we haven’t learned.”

“I’m a bit of a conservative, so the second amendment has some meaning for me. What the song is focusing in on are these mass murders that people get guns, then go in and slaughter children. How do they get them and what can we do to keep that from happening? I think what we need to do is tighten our laws to the point where you at least have to go through some kind of psychiatric exam if you’ve got a history of trouble.

“And I think parents have to take responsibility in this. If some nut takes a gun from his parents house that they haven’t secured, the parents need to be held responsible for the actions of the of the perpetrator as well. So you just bring it down hard. People that are doing the right things with their guns, let them have it.

“There needs to be a pass-along punitive if you’ve got parents that are absent and you’re allowing your children access to your weapons. You’re just as guilty as they are. Believe me, they talk about losses in different countries. We kill more Americans every day than anywhere else in the world, We’ve got too many guns in the wrong hands and that’s why the song is called “Wrong Hands”.”

The singer claims that the song “Too Damn Slow,” which features a beautiful contribution from Chavez, is simply a result of his hormones acting up.

“I’m not ready to accept slow music, really, unless it’s a beautiful ballad. “The Artist” is a wonderful ballad that is a poem that was written by my wife. I put the music to it, brought in the chord changes. There’s only two instruments on it besides my voice. But it’s about what art does to an artist, essentially. “Fly” is not the swan song, but it’s a decent goodbye, and a thank you in case I don’t get a chance to record again. But I’m planning on recording, I’m writing for the next album as we speak. I love my fans, my American fans, my fans all over the world. I just wanted to give them a, a nice, decent, civilized goodbye, if that had to be the way to go.

“And then we have the swan song at the end, “Just The Way It Is,” which basically is just, hey, calm down, you are gonna die. It’s gonna happen. Just calm down. That’s not a problem for me. It is soulful with a Motown feel. My writing, as a writer, has developed to a place where I’m starting to get really comfortable and use the English language the way I intend to use it. It comes out being more understandable to the listener. But it is a language that you do have to listen to because some of those songs can fool you until you really hear the lyrics.

“When we were in the studio, Don Was had some remarks about that. He apparently likes my writing, likes the clarity of it. It’s easy to understand. It’s not tricky, complex, nothing like that. It’s kind of straightforward. He calls it a common language. That’s a pretty nifty goal to achieve as a writer, where you can find a plurality and commonality. That’s wonderful, and I’m so happy with it.

“The latest tour is going well. Our shows are being so well received. From the beginning to the end, you could hear a pin drop. There’s silence during the songs, there’s silence between the songs until the eruption at the end, and it does become an eruption. The other day we were leaving a gig and we were talking about young students. There was four or five young female students sitting having a cigarette outside the club as we left and these young ladies stood up and gave me a standing applause. I couldn’t believe that. I mean, I’ve had it happen from old people, but not young people. So it was cool.”

When it comes to songwriting, the singer admits that he is a “writing fool”:.

“It normally starts with a word. I have my equipment in my office. When I get something of substance, and I need to start creating melodies and rhythms, I have my drum machine and my keyboards. That’s where it goes next. Usually I’m sitting looking at a blank computer, and I come up with a word. Okay, what does that mean to you in your life? You plant the seed and you try to grow it right in front of you. It takes some time. Sometimes it comes real fast.

“For a couple years in Detroit, I did a weekend radio show and did a lot of interviews, too. It is tricky. It’s an art form to get out of the artist what you’re what you’re actually looking for. Artists can be cantankerous sometimes, and some of them can be very aloof. But every once in a while you get somebody that just wants to be honest and talk honest. Those were the ones I loved. Having the option to talk freely is important. You have to give the artist that. Of course, once you get them talking freely, sometimes you can’t shut them up. It’s not what I do for a gig, but it was fun having tasted that part of the business. I prefer to just be in the studio recording and writing and touring. And I hope that your readers will take the time and trouble to discover the decades of music of mine that you have never heard.”

Asked if he has noticed any differences in the way the music business is run these days versus earlier in his career, Ryder had a swift response.

“No, it’s just as corrupt and demonic as it’s ever going to be. The biggest change to the benefit of the industry has been technology. I’ll give you an example of what I’m talking about. I went to a major label once , I had a partner at the time, My partner walks in with me and this young kid, he’s 26 years old, but he’s head of A& R for a major record label.

“He walks in the room, goes over to my partner, sticks his hand out and says, Hello, Mr. Ryder. To my partner! What the fuck, where is this kid coming from? You know, I’m Mitch. I’m sitting here and he’s grabbing my partner’s hand and calling him Mitch So that’s that’s the kind of shit you have. Somebody’s wife said, Hank, you better get Junior a job at that record company or I’m not gonna feed you anymore, or whatever she says to him. You get kids that don’t have any pedigree, they don’t have any knowledge, and they’re thrown into a position of luck.

Over the last 45 years, Ryder has had over 30 albums released on a variety of labels, including his latest projects. It is a body of work that few people stateside have been able to enjoy, but the singer is proud of what he has accomplished, and appreciates every bit of acclaim that comes his way, wherever it comes from.

“We were in a club. I forget where on this tour, but we were waiting to pack up after the show. I heard this one song. I didn’t take the time and trouble to hear who it was, but it was beautiful. And it went on for 12 minutes. I think one frigging song, a beautiful blues song for 12 minutes. And I’m going, damn, why aren’t we hearing that? Why is that hidden away in a club in a basement somewhere? Crazy stuff, crazy.

“It’s just crazy, and today is just really absolute chaos, even in every boardroom, they don’t know what the hell the other one’s talking about. It’s just about trying to figure out ways to make more money, that is the bottom line. It has nothing to do with art. And that’s the shame of it. That’s why the blues are taking a beating.”

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

Travellin’ Blue – Take The Edge Off

Naked Records

Self-release

10 songs – 40 minutes

Travellin’ Blue are a Belgium blues-rock band, previously known as Travellin’ Blue Kings. Take The Edge Off is their third album, and first with the new line-up of JB Biesmans (vocals, saxophone and harmonica), Luke Alexander (guitars), Winne Pennickx (bass), Patrick Cuyvers (Hammond organ, piano, Wurlitzer and backing vocals) and Steve Wouters (drums). Their two previous releases, from 2019 and 2022, both received positive reviews from Blues Blast!

All of the songs on the new album were composed by members of the band. Seven were co-written by Biesmans and Alexander, with Cuyvers contributing one track, Biesmans writing one  number, and one co-credited to Ford/Biesmans.

Musically, on the evidence of this release, the band is closer to rock than to blues. The opening track, for example, “Better Left Unsaid” has a repeating verse riff that isn’t a million miles from Led Zep’s “Kashmir”,  while “No Gooder” grinds like a distant relative of “Immigrant Song” and “Death Smiles At Us All” has hints of early The Police (albeit with cool harmonica overlaid).  Biesmans’ rough-hewn voice suits the material perfectly.

“Down The Rabbit Hole” has a swinging, 60s groove, with the saxophone echoing the vocal melody and a fine organ solo from Cuyvers. “Come Hell Or High Water” builds nicely from the verse to the chorus with Alexander’s layered guitars and a nicely structured guitar solo that recalls some of Bernie Marsden’s work with the early, more blues-infused Whitesnake. The title track again recalls Led Zeppelin with its jagged, single note riff and some marvellously off-the-wall solos from Alexander (with echoes of some of Ritchie Blackmore’s Eastern influences) and Biesmans (on saxophone).

The Pink Floyd-esque “After All” features nice solos again from Alexander (on slide guitar) and Biesmans, although it is interesting that Biesmans’ sax playing adds a distinct jazz flavour to both “After All” and to the instrumental “Hellhole Shuffle.”

The final track, “Lay Down Knuckle Under” has an infectious chorus and a toe-tapping groove.

Take The Edge Off was self-produced by the band, who recorded it at Roots House Studio, with mixing and mastering by Biesmans at JB’s Den.

There’s no doubt that Travellin’ Blue are talented and that they write and play very well-constructed songs. It is most likely however that Take The Edge Off will appeal mostly to rock fans rather than blues fans.

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

Andy B And SoulFolk – Tellin’ Myself Weird Lil’ Stories

DEKO Entertainment – 2024

www.andybandsoulfolk.com

10 tracks; 43 minutes

Andy B is Andy Bernstein, a veteran of the New Brunswick music scene who was the main songwriter/singer of The VooDUDES. On this record Andy is on lead vocals and harmonica, Gary Ambrosy guitar and mandolin, Matty Hahn keys, Paul Daloia bass and Bill Homomeyer drums; everyone adds backing vocals, as does Barbara Homomeyer-Hahn; Juke Joint Jonny Rizzo guests on guitar on one track. Andy wrote eight songs and there are two covers. Although released this year the album appears to have been some time in the making as the cover credits the original songs as published in 2022.

The songs here were inspired by Andy’s participation in a Song Stories Podcast, each delivering a story from Andy’s imagination or experience. Andy has a deep vocal style, sometimes as much spoken as sung, as can be heard on the gospel rhythms of “Risen From The Dead” which imagines how Lazarus might have felt after resurrection. “When Nancy Played The Blues” acts as a tribute to one of the stalwarts of the NJ scene, a harp player called Big Nance, a slower tune with some fine guitar work and subtle harp. Using a series of titles drawn from familiar country songs, Andy looks to find “That Hank Williams Feeling”, though the music is more blues than country, particularly due to the slide work. “Northbound Love” is almost a reversal of Allen Toussaint’s romantic view of the South in “Southern Nights”; a tune that sounds as if it could have been recorded by The Band in their prime, notably with the lyrical references to Miss Fanny, a character in “The Weight”; rolling piano and a solid chorus of backing vocals make this one a highlight of the album. Talking of The Band, “Listen To Ol’ Levon (The River)” recounts the inspiration Andy got from Levon Helm when The VooDUDES toured with him, piano leading the way through an upbeat rocker. Andy always includes a song dedicated to his late partner and “Y’Know I Love You” does that here, a bright tune that is almost a pop song. In contrast the band hits a reggae stride on a tale about a frightening encounter with a femme fatale in “Whiskey, Black Powder & Cigarettes” and the rather amusing tale of “Xmas Eve On Venice Beach” celebrates Christmas, California style.

The two covers are both well known. Andy s former bandmate Juke Joint Jonny adds acoustic guitar to a rather restrained take on “House Of The Rising Sun” whilst finger snaps lead into a jazzy interpretation that takes “Money” in a very different direction from the early Motown hit, or indeed The Beatles’ raw-throated version.

A varied album with well written songs.

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.