Dave Specter – Live at Space

Delmark Records

www.davespecter.com

13 Tracks – 77 minutes

This is Chicago based guitarist Dave Specter’s fourteenth album release on Delmark Records, a collaboration lasting over three decades. He has performed or recorded with a long list of major name blues artists including Otis Rush, Buddy Guy, Lonnie Brooks, among others. Including his own albums, he has appeared on over 50 albums. He toured with Son Seals, The Legendary Blues Band, Hubert Sumlin, and Sam Lay before deciding to start his own band in 1989.  He was inducted into the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame in 2018.

The album has thirteen cuts with a note that two bonus cuts, “New West Side Stroll” and “Message in Blue” are available digitally. The songs were recorded at the Evanston, Illinois Space, where Dave is a partner in the venue. He is joined on this album by Brother John Kattke on vocals and keyboards, Rodrigo Mantovani on bass, and Marty Binder on drums.

The album opens with “Rumba & Tonic” a stylish instrumental establishing Dave’s unique guitar playing amidst a rhumba beat. “Alley Walk” offers a somewhat sinister stroll. Otis Rush’s 1962 “Homework” moves the album more directly into blues with John’s organ and Dave’s guitar dialing in and adds the first vocals with Dave singing “I must be a fool wasting’ my time going to school. I can’t do my homework anymore”. “Oh baby, you got my head going around in circles”.

Dave’s guitar skirts alongside John’s piano with Dave advising that, “Nothing is going to make you happy” so just play these “Blues from the Inside Out”. On Allen Toussaint’s 1972 song “On Your Way Down”, Dave notes “it’s the same people you meet on your way up might be the same people you need on your way down”. John takes the vocal lead as he encourages to “March Through the Darkness” “until you see the light, and in our country let your voice be heard”. “Peace, love, and tolerance and know the difference between wrong and right”.

John continues lead vocals on the next two songs and establishes that “wherever I go, wherever I travel there is always something that brings me home” “Chicago Style” “is my thing” with some rousing piano from John and a long list of famous Chicago blues men. Don Nix wrote and Freddie King recorded “Same Old Blues” in 1971 with the message “morning rain keeps on falling like the tears from my eyes”. Another instrumental “The Stinger” blends guitar and organ into a catchy rhythm.

Dave returns to the lead vocals for the traditional “Deep Elem Blues” which was first recorded in 1939 and has since been recorded by many others including the Grateful Dead. The song is about a rough East Dallas, Texas neighborhood with a warning “If you go down to Deep Elem put your money in your shoes”. Sonny Boy’ Williamson’s 1937 “Bluebird Blues” follows as Dave asks the bird to “take this letter down south for me, cause I’m stuck in Chicago, and I’m just as blue as I can be”.  On “Ponchatoula Way”, John on lead vocals again declares “I’m going down the Mississippi River…to see my baby, little, little lady called Susie Ray”, a rollicking upbeat number. Samuel “Magic Sam” Maghet’s instrumental “Ridin’ High” closes the album in rousing fashion with Dave’s stinging guitar accompanied by John’s organ.

This is a solid blues album perhaps with a light jazz touch in some of the instrumentals. Dave and his band are certainly steeped in the “Chicago Style”. The live recording is crystal clear and sounds like a studio recording.

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.

Willie Buck & Bob Corritore – Oh Yeah!

Vizztone Label Group/SWMAF Records – 2025

https://bobcorritore.com

10 tracks: 39 minutes

Chicago blues legend Willie Buck teams up with harmonica heavyweight Bob Corritore to bring new excitement to those blues classics that once emanated from inside clubs and on the streets of Chicago, Illinois. Oh Yeah! is the latest release from Corritore’s “From the Vaults” series, described as “Historic blues recordings from Bob’s vast archives!”

According to the album’s one-pager, Buck and Corritore are true ambassadors of (that) classic Chicago blues sound. Their musical relationship began in the late 1970s when Buck invited Corritore to join his band. They’ve remained close friends and perform together each year. Oh Yeah! exemplifies their shared mission of delivering old school Chicago blues as it’s meant to be played.

Willie Buck (William Crawford) was born and raised in Mississippi and drawn to the blues after hearing B.B. King and Muddy Waters. He moved to Chicago in the early 1950s and became a part of the Maxwell Street blues scene and remains a mainstay of Windy City blues to this day. According to his online bio, Buck is known for his powerful vocals delivered with raw, gut-wrenching intensity.

While Buck still lives in Chicago, Bob Corritore relocated to Arizona years ago, where—according to his website—he formed the Southwest Musical Arts Foundation (in 2000), hosts the popular radio show “Those Lowdown Blues,” owns the Rhythm Room (in Phoenix), and is both a Keeping the Blues Alive (KBA) award recipient and Blues Music Award (BMA) winner (2011), along with receiving many other awards and professional recognition.

Buck’s passionately gritty vocals combined with Corritore’s savvy no nonsense harmonica style are an absolute joy on Oh Yeah!

Joining Buck and Corritore on this album are a Who’s Who of blues musicians, including: Bob Margolin on guitar, Jimi “Primetime” Smith (guitar), Billy Flynn (guitar), Mojo Mark Cihlar (guitar), Jon Atkinson (guitar), Anthony Geraci (piano), Ben Levin (piano), living legend Bob Stroger (bass), Troy Sandow (bass), Wes Starr(drums), and Brian Fahey (drums).

Oh Yeah! was produced by Corritore, Clarke Rigsby, Kid Andersen, and John Wroble at Tempest Recording in Tempe, Arizona, where Rigsby handled the recording while Wroble did all post-production work at Porcupine Productions in nearby Chandler, Arizona.

The album kicks off with the title track, an old Bo Diddley hit, and Buck and Corritore get right to it with Corritore’s dynamic harp playing and Buck’s commanding vocals. “She’s Alright” by Muddy Waters clearly highlights that “classic Chicago blues sound” made famous by Waters and many others. Buck’s gritty “That Ain’t Enough” features amazing guitar licks from Margolin and “Primetime” Smith. Another Buck original, “Brand New Cell Phone,” is timely with that traditional blues backbeat and toe-tapping rhythm.

“She Turned Me Down” features Geraci’s barrelhouse piano and smooth soulful slide play. Waters’ classic “Baby Please Don’t Go” gets an up tempo makeover that’s sure to have blues aficionados asking for more. “Let Me Find Out Your Name” is Willie Buck at his best and gives new meaning to belting out the blues.

The guitar work of Cihlar and Atkinson shines on Buck’s “Went Home This Morning,” while Billy Flynn’s “Money Can’t Buy Everything” rounds out a masterclass on downhome Chicago blues.

As their one-pager states, “if tough, pure Chicago blues is your pleasure, then this album is sure to bring you great joy.”

Absolutely.

Writer Ken Billett is a freelance writer based in Memphis. He is a Blues Foundation member and former docent/tour guide at the Blues Hall of Fame. Originally from Tampa, Florida, Ken writes about travel, music, and the Mississippi Delta.

Larry McCray – Heartbreak City

Keeping The Blues Alive Records

www.larrymccrayofficial.com

10 tracks – 53 minutes

Larry McCay was born in Magnolia, Arkansas on April 5, 1960, the second youngest of nine children. His family moved to Saginaw, Michigan in 1972. Larry learned to play guitar from his sister Clara who had her own band that traveled regionally. After high school, Larry worked on the General Motors assembly line. But his interest in music remained and he formed his own band that played the local clubs with his brothers Carl on bass and Steve on drums.

Larry released his first album, Ambition, in 1991. The album was recorded in a friend’s basement studio. The album was released on Pointblank Records, which also released music from Albert Collins. The two artists then toured together. Many albums followed that were produced by veteran musicians, which Larry has continuously pointed out as being superior to his initial home-produced debut.  Joe Bonamassa identified Larry as one of the most under-appreciated but talented blues musicians performing today and vowed to raise awareness of him. Joe and Josh Smith stepped into the producer’s chair for Larry’s 2022 album Blues Without You and the duo returned to produce this album, Larry’s eleventh release.

The album features seven songs co-written by McCray and three co-written by Josh Smith for McCray’s album. Larry’s deep soulful voice booms out on “Try to Be a Good Man” with instructions “to give her all the love you can and do your best to understand”. “You don’t have to wear a ring in your nose.” “Give her your heart, give her your mind, show some respect and always be kind.” “Heartbreak City” is a slow-burning blues with horns and smooth guitar supported by organ from Reese Wynans. He notes this is where “only the lonely survive”. “Down here they don’t come out alive.”  “Bye Bye Blues” is a soul tune complete with backing vocals and discusses how love can cure all our ills noting “when I said hello to you, I said bye bye blues”.

Larry’s guitar shines on “Bright Side” as he asks, “How many times can a man’s heart be broken before it all cracks and turns to dust? How many days must the rain keep falling until his whole world turns to rust?” but declares ” I am not going to live in the shadows forever”. “Everything Falls on Me” uses digital percussion behind a lean blues riff as Larry explains “I get up in the morning, make sure my bills are paid. Mop the floor, do the dishes cause I don’t got no maid. Hope my baby would pick up some of the slack, but she’s never around. Don’t know where my baby’s at”.  He remorsefully acknowledges “I Know What I’ve Done” and promises to amend in a slow, crying blues with Joe Bonamassa adding his guitar as the music rises and floats in a smooth transition.

Kirk Fletcher and Josh Smith guest on “Keep on Loving My Baby” with Wynans throwing in some honky-tonk piano on a high-energy roll with each of the guitarists taking turns driving the song. “Hangman” shifts to an acoustic Delta groove in a stomping blues number and stories of a man’s death and a dope dealer giving out a powder to a woman as he explains “life don’t come with instructions on the road to self-destruction. Out there on the loose, you better watch out for that noose”. “Stop Your Crying” jumps out with a piano backing as Larry begs her “to come back home. You know I love you, can’t leave you alone”. If I can’t make it with you, I don’t want to make it with anyone else”. “You are out there running around, forgetting our sacred vows.” The album closes with a funky “Crazy World”, as he states, “that the whole world is upside down”.

Larry is a powerful, emotive singer with guitar work that stands out among the best performing today. Joe certainly is correct; Larry should be on the top of every chart. And if you have any love of soulful blues, this album should be a must.

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.

Brad “Guitar” Wilson – The Californian

Cali Bee Music Inc. – 2025

https://bradwilsonlive.com

14 tracks: 57 minutes

The Californian is the latest musical album from veteran guitar slinger Brad “Guitar” Wilson. According to the album’s one-pager, this is his eighth album, following the success of Wilson’s last two albums: Buckle Up! (reviewed by Blues Blast Magazine in March of 2024) and Lovers Before Sunrise released in 2023.

Much like those earlier albums, The Californian mixes classic covers with Wilson’s originals, including a song initially recorded for a move soundtrack. The one-pager goes on to state that Wilson, originally from Carmel, California, earned the “Guitar” nickname by punching out a fistful of tough hard-rocking blues for (many) years. He has toured frequently with Seventies powerhouse group Chicago and opened for Buddy Guy, Cheap Trick, .38 Special, The Marshall Tucker Band, and Tommy Castro.

In addition, as his online bio explains, Wilson “has taken his songwriting talents to the big screen” with the song “Teaser” (featured on this album) for director John Carpenter’s Vampires (1998) and music for Carpenter’s Ghosts of Mars (2001), plus scores for TV shows such as The Young and the Restless and Passions.

On this album, Wilson handles all guitars and sings lead vocals. His style is self-described as “a soulful contemporary sound, tapping into all his sources of inspiration.”

Joining Wilson on The Californian are drummers Toto Poznantek and Tony Braunagel (a 2024 BMA winner); bassists Hal Cragin, Brian Beal, and Fabrizo Erba; keyboardists Chris Rhyne (Santana keyboard player), Luca Catalfamo, and Frankie Virens; harmonicas by Marieke de Vaan (aka “Marie K”), along with backing vocals from Leanna Baxter, Francis Buckley, and Galen Keith.

The album’s tracks were recorded at several studios in California—Musicians Institute Studios in Hollywood (Francis Buckley, engineer), Summit Studio in Bakersfield (Pariecee McGriff, engineer), and at Visalia California (engineered by Brian Beal)—and at ICP Studios in Brussels, Belgium (Michel Dierickx, engineer) and, finally, at Studio Bonanza Hedikhuizen in The Netherlands with Jory de Kort and Dick Bon engineering.

The Californian kicks off with “Say You Wanna Dance,” an upbeat and rockin’ tune with terrific guitar and keyboard interplay. That rockin’ vibe continues with “Monterey,” featuring some great backing vocals. “Back Roads” keeps the party going with gritty driving backbeat and groovin’ keyboards. “Summertime Blues,” Eddie Cochran’s 1958 mega-hit, is given a traditional-sounding flourish by Wilson and his session mates.

Another well-known cover song, Willie Dixon’s “Groaning the Blues,” resonates with that down-home Delta blues-infused feeling, highlighted with Wilson’s intricate guitar solos. “It Hurts Me Too,” first recorded by Tampa Red (in 1940) and popularized by Elmore James in the early 60s, has a great intro and strong finish.

“I Work Alone” sounds almost Dead-like with a hypnotic vibe, acoustic guitar accompaniment, and fading electric guitar runs. “Goin’ Home” is a personal ballad with some of Wilson’s strongest vocals. “Teaser,” that soundtrack song mentioned earlier, is a terrific number with a groovin’ and movin’ beat.

The Californian gives Brad “Guitar” Wilson’s fans and followers exactly what they want—contemporary rockin’ blues, terrific renditions of past hits, solid performances by talented musicians, and Wilson’s signature style and flair.

Writer Ken Billett is a freelance writer based in Memphis. He is a Blues Foundation member and former docent/tour guide at the Blues Hall of Fame. Originally from Tampa, Florida, Ken writes about travel, music, and the Mississippi Delta.

Why are audiences so drawn to the sound of a big band?  Is it for nostalgic reasons, as it reminds listeners of a time that seemed happier, when leaders like Duke Ellington and Count Basie thrilled audiences with their high-energy sound?  Or maybe it’s that a big band provides the benefit of hearing many different types of instruments, but unlike a highly structured orchestra, it’s still small enough for audiences to enjoy dynamic solos filled with exciting improvisation.

Whatever it is, it is clear that there is something special about seeing the bigger bands like Roomful of Blues, Dumpstaphunk, and the latest version of Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s band.  Joining their ranks from across the Canadian border is the extremely talented Ben Racine Band, whose debut album “One of a Kind” received a 2013 Maple Blues Award nomination.  Blues Blast Magazine had the opportunity recently to catch up with the band’s leader, Ben Racine, via a zoom interview.

Ben (whose first name is actually Benoit, his mother’s maiden name), grew up with uncles and a grandmother who played piano, and his mother used to play guitar and sing.  Like many musicians, his interest in the blues was sparked by his parents’ record collection.

“My parents’ record collection had a lot to do with it.  There was a lot of rock and roll like Little Richard.  That early rock and roll was pretty much a blues song.   It sowed the seeds.  One 45 rpm from my parents’ collection really stood out for me.  It was The Yardbirds, called “Steeled Blues”.  It had a slide guitar on it and that really floored me.  I was wondering, ‘What is that sound?  Then, later on, I started researching a bit and discovered artists like Howling Wolf and Robert Johnson.”

Ben started playing guitar at the age of 11 but then sidetracked a bit as the drummer in his high school band.  He was introduced to the professional side of music very early.

“I was already writing songs and playing in bars, even though I wasn’t old enough to drink in the bars yet.  After high school I went to the equivalent of a junior college to learn the technical and theoretical side.  I could have gone on to the university, but I was so eager to get going playing music and I decided, ‘why put myself in debt?”

When asked about the artists that influenced his playing, Ben noted the difference between influences and inspiration.

“I think it’s up to others to say what influenced me.  I know who inspired me.  Who can play the blues and say BB King and Albert King didn’t inspire them?  Or Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi—I play nothing like them, but inspiration makes you want to learn more.  And Colin James inspired me a lot.  He was playing all the time on the old video channels when I was a kid.  Colin was a huge fire-stoker.  And the band, Big Wreck.  They’re not blues, but it still digs into you and makes you want to play more.

Ben is the vocalist and guitarist for the band, and other band members include Kaven Jalbert on tenor Sax, Mat “Moose” Mousseau on baritone sax, Francois Dube on bass, Nicky Estor on Drums, and Charles Trudel on keyboards. Several of the band members have been nominated for Maple Blues awards, recognizing them as the best on their instruments.  However, Ben chose his bandmates based on more than just their impressive musical talent.  Their albums consist primarily of original compositions.

“My band has always had a family feel.  You have to be a good player, but we also have to have fun.  We’re all interested in having fun together.  When I write sometimes the music comes first and sometimes the lyrics come first.  Sometimes there is just a spark of something, a phrase that will strike me and I will write it down.  Sometimes it is just a groove that comes to me, and I’ll lay it down on an acoustic guitar, and let the music speak to me.  It varies.”

Ben’s band is often seen backing the immensely talented singer from Montreal, Dawn Tyler Watson.  They began touring together and Ben’s band backed her for her 2016 album “Jawbreaker”.  Together they went on to win the International Blues Challenge in 2017 for the best band and, at that event, Ben also won the Albert King Award for guitar player of the year.

“My band had been going for about five or six years, and we shared the same booking agent, Brian Slack.  Dawn had just split from performing for about 13 years as a duo with Paul DesLauriers and Brian was looking for a band to back her.  He took her to one of our shows and gave her our first album and she really liked the vibe.  So, we tried it out and backing her has been so much fun.  For the IBCs, Dawn had just had triple bypass surgery, and the doctors were telling her she needed another three months of time to recover, so we were saying, ‘don’t worry, we can try next year.’ But she was so gung-ho—she said, ‘No—we’re going’. That night had some solid talent, so I was just hoping we would be in the top three.  And when they announced that I had won the guitar player award, they pronounced it “Raysin”, so I was looking around for Ben Raysin thinking I didn’t know who that guy was, and it turned out they were calling my name.  So, after getting the award, I was having a chat with Jonn del toro Richardson about the amp, (because he is sponsored by Category 5, who makes the amp), and I was just shaking hands with him, thanking him and thinking the night could not get any better and they then announced that we had won the overall competition.  If someone had pitched the whole story for a movie, they would say take it back and make it more believable, but it was true.”

Dawn was happy to explain just why she is so happy to have so many opportunities to play with Ben and his band. She noted, “Ben is one of the most talented and underrated artists I know. He is heavily responsible for the success of my last two albums. He’s a brilliant singer, songwriter, and arranger. His effortless vocal harmonies and attentive presence onstage make him a joy to play with every time.”

The collaboration with Dawn has become so popular that it is sometimes difficult for Ben to schedule gigs just for his own band.

“It can become hard to have time to have Ben Racine gigs because the schedule is packed with Dawn gigs.  But there’s nothing stopping me from just recording another album.  I’ve been writing some stuff, straying a bit from what we’ve done before.  It will still be blues-infused, but I’m not sure what direction it will be tinted.  Maybe a bit of a folk singer/songwriter feeling, but always with a dose of blues and soul.  I might want to write in both languages.  I’d like to revisit some of my original songs and write it in French.”

It has become increasingly more difficult for any non-US band to play in the United States, and it is a challenge for larger bands to get booked regardless of where they are located or hoping to play.

“Of course, it’s hard in this economy for promoters to pay for additional plane tickets and hotel rooms when they can maybe find a trio instead.  And there’s the whole work permit issue that can get complicated when coming to the States, with all of the paperwork and declarations.  It makes it hard on us to come, but in a way I understand.  Canada can be that way too.  They will try to promote and put forth as much Canadian content as possible and when someone suggests international artists they tend to think, “well, we have talent right here”.  If I put myself in their shoes, I can certainly understand that the US wants to primarily promote American talent.  But I want to play everywhere!”

When asked which artists he would like to collaborate if given the chance, Ben noted that despite them being both Canadians who have been booked at the same festival, he has not yet had the chance to play with Colin James.

“Colin is definitely a bucket list person, and Tab (Benoit) would be fun, but I would most like to play with Danielle Nicole.  That would be awesome.  And that’s coming from someone who gets to play with a world class singer all the time! But Danielle really has something special, and she holds court on that bass too.”

A collaboration with Daniell Nicole would be wonderful, for sure.  But then again, any collaboration that includes Ben Racine and his band would be worth seeing.  You can learn more about this talented musician and his band, and find out where to see them next, by visiting www.benracineband.com.

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

Robert Jon & The Wreck – Heartbreak & Last Goodbyes

Journeyman Records

www.robertjonadthewreck.com

10 Tracks – 41 minutes

Robert Jon & The Wreck hail from Southern California. The band, first formed in 2011, consists of Robert Jon Burrison on lead vocals and guitar, Andrew Espantman on drums and backing vocals, Henry James Schneekluth on lead guitar and backing vocals, Warren Murrel on bass, and Jake Abernathie on keyboards. This is their ninth studio album. Dave Cobb produced the album. Dave has recently produced albums for Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell, and Rival Sons. The band’s sound is firmly rooted in southern rock, but with a modern twist for today’s audiences. The album includes ten original tracks, including one, “Long Gone” co-written by John Oates.

The album opens with “Sitting Pretty” which comes blasting out of the gate with roaring guitars and frantic drums as Robert Jon proclaims he “is feeling dangerous”. Things slow down with a ballad, “Ashes in the Snow” as he sings, “a house without her is a house of pain”. “We’re just going through the motions, pretending everything’s all right.” Robert describes “Highway” as “a heartfelt love song – wide open, full throttle, and impossible to get out of your head”. He sings “We took a chance with bitter hearts and lonely dreams. We didn’t have anything to lose.”

He addresses the “Old Man” advising you “never gave a damn…from a crooked home, I learned to stand”. “Dark Angel” tells the story of a mysterious woman in ” a corner in Savannah where the sun don’t ever shine, where a man makes one wrong step and a man gets lost in time. I met a woman down there, she was good, and she was fine”. “Long Gone” is a tale of lost love as Robert Jon proclaims, “it’s all gone”.

“Better of Me” starts off with some rollicking piano before settling into something of a modern country roll as Robert Jon cites “No one can tell me who I am, I don’t have to prove a damn thing cause I can.” It is a song of empowerment encouraging to continue on through any obstacles in your path. “I Wanna Give It” slows things down and again seems to lie in modern country rock. He declares he wants to find “time and space where we can be alone”. On the title song he states, “She is the sparkle of my eye, but she only loves me with a lie. She brings me up, then tears me down. There is no peace in this side of town.” A cautionary tale about life in the fast lane ends the album as he notes “all of my friends are dead or in jail. There ain’t nothing left for me, and I announce to “Keep Myself Clean”.

The album definitely stays on the rock side of music delivered with a constant thunderous groove mixed with a modern country sound. The stories reportedly are based on real life experiences of the various band members.

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.

Kurt Anderson – Life on Interstate 40 

Riverlark Music – 2024

https://riverlark.com/

17 Tracks; 45 minutes

Across Life on Interstate 40 (2024), Kurt Anderson draws from the deep well of American roots music—blending folk, blues, Gospel, old-time, bluegrass, and classic country with a weathered voice and a lifetime of stories. While Anderson, a chameleon-like guitar player and songwriter, boasts a career spanning nearly six decades, this LP is his first solo release, much anticipated by longtime fans.

Throughout the album Anderson emerges as an expert storyteller with strong lyrical ability, backed up by simple, effective instrumentation, most notably his Martin acoustic guitar. Anderson explores timeless themes in American music, including longing, loss, love, gone wrong, and the lonesome pull of the road. Across the album, trains, highways, and drifting serve as metaphors for emotional and physical distance.

Tracks like “900 Miles”, “Mr. Engineer”, and “Hobo’s Meditation” center on the wandering soul archetype – drifting, cut off from home, searching for meaning. Heartbreak is a constant companion, whether mourned with stark resignation (“Ashes of Love,” “Stone Walls and Steel Bars”) or lingering sorrow (“Why Should I Be Lonely,” “It’s Raining Here This Morning”).

Melancholy, dramatic, skillful guitar riffs open up, “Willie Jean”, one of the strongest tracks on the album. In a deep, rumbling voice, Anderson sings “Sometimes I think of the folks back home. And the ten mile road I used to roam. Sometimes I think about a girl named Willie Jean”. Anderson’s strong vocals are all the more incredible considering his 2003 diagnosis and battle with throat cancer. The track is a simmering, spicy blues – simple, brooding, and authentic, fully demonstrating Anderson’s prowess on guitar.

Anderson’s smoky, weathered voice sings “I’m 900 miles from my home and I hate to hear that lonesome whistle blow” on “900 Miles”, the first song, a mixture of folk and blues projecting deep longing and pain. It is effective in its raw, stark simplicity.

“Will there be any freight trains in heaven? Any box cars in which we might hide?” Anderson sings in an aged, straining voice, like the weary voice of a hobo worn down by the years on “Hobo’s Meditation”. Slow, deliberate guitar picking plays throughout, and Anderson yodels with soul, like a body crying out. Excellent lyrics reflect on an itinerant lifestyle and death.

Crisp, rolling banjo carries “It’s Raining Here this Morning”, a song about a man abandoned by a woman for a crime he did not commit. The banjo, played by Randal Morton, is persistent, bright, and expansive, creating a funky blanket of sound in harmony with the guitar as Anderson croons “I used to tell her every day I love her, but now she doesn’t love me anymore.”

On another vital track, “Jimmie’s Texas Blues”, Morton’s banjo playing pops out, snapping and twangling in country flavor, with harmonious interplay with Anderson on guitar. In a soulful, weathered croon, Anderson calls out “The way I’ve been treated, sometimes I wish I was dead. I ain’t got no place to lay my weary head. When I want you woman, I always find you gone.” The track proceeds low-key, unhurried, and wistful.

The titular track, “Interstate 40” employs high tempo guitar and fast vocals, with a hint of ragtime, in a song about hitchhiking and resilience. Anderson has extensive experience hitchhiking across the country, partially influenced by Jack Kerouac’s On the Road. In this song, Anderson’s guitar solos meander up and down the neck, maintaining a fast pace, singing “That’s just life out on Interstate 40, I’m a lucky son of a gun. The good Lord gave me a thumb.” In one refrain, Anderson asks to be laid to rest along the freeway, where the “big trucks whine and moan.”

Strong guitar work introduces “Why Should I be Lonely”, an acoustic blues number both deeply morose and reflective. Anderson bemoans his sorry, lonely state, and the woman who made him feel so low.

“Stone Walls and Steel Bars” is a weary prison tune, sung in a coarse, gravelly voice, filled with emotional depth and authenticity. Anderson conveys solitary anguish and a painful love.

Steady strumming on guitar and banjo coarse through “Mr. Engineer”, a graceful somber tune about a man running away from his troubles and setting on down the road. Instrumentally Anderson and Morton create a slow rumble, and Anderson sings out “My love has turned me down. Gonna catch me a freight train. Lord, I’m leaving this lonesome town.”

“I’m Troubled” contains the only harmonica on the album, played by Anderson. Swinging , shuffling harp kicks off the tune, in the fashion of Bob Dylan. The track is in the Americana and country style, with pretty guitar strumming and twang, detailing a false hearted lover.

The mostly spoken “John D. Lee”, void of instrumentation, is by far the weakest track on the album. “Kern River” comes across as underwhelming.

As whole, Anderson proves himself on this album a master storyteller adept at playing a variety of core American music genres, in the fashion of a true Riverlark Music label artist.

Across Life on Interstate 40, Kurt Anderson affirms his place as a masterful storyteller and interpreter of American roots traditions. With a smoky, weathered voice and understated instrumental backing—centered on his faithful Martin acoustic—Anderson traverses folk, blues, gospel, country, and bluegrass with ease. Whether crooning about heartbreak, drifting down highways, or reckoning with mortality, he delivers each lyric with emotion and grit. Even when the occasional track falls short, the album as a whole is a testament to Anderson’s lifelong devotion to song craft—and a welcome solo debut for an artist whose voice, stories, and sound have only deepened with time. A true Riverlark release through and through.

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.

JB & The Hüggeli – The Blues Supadupa

JB Records

www.thehuggeli.com

11 tracks – 45 minutes

JB and The Hüggeli are from Horsens, a small town in Denmark. They started as a trio in 2015 using the Danish name Det Hyggelige Blues Band. The word hyggelige translated into English basically meaning cozy or pleasant and can be used as an expression of affection. Hüggeli does not have a direct translation but is also used as an expression to convey a sense of warmth and comfort. The band originally performed as a trio consisting of Jesper Bjarnesen on vocals, harp and guitar, Jais Eriksen on bass and Oscar “Big O” Eriksen on drums. They later added Hans Jergen “Hanse” Jensen on tenor sax. The current group is competed with the addition of Josef Baumgarten on piano and organ. Hanse joins with a six-piece horn band on three of the tracks. That ensemble includes Ole “Fesser” Lindgreen, an 87-year-old jazz legend on trombone.

The group describes their music as Texas and Chicago blues with a solid swing. The album opens with “Ain’t It Good” “to be free just to be what you want to be…but more important to go out and do good”. JB’s shows off some guitar licks with Hanse’s sax kicking in followed by a solo by Josef on organ. Notes of Stevie Ray Vaughan drift in. “Blues In My Hometown” does bring the swing.  “When I turn on the amp and pull those six silver strings in blues for everybody in a tribute to all the Kings”. JB next declares “I don’t want to do nothing. I don’t to go nowhere. I just want to sit here in “My Comfy Chair”. You can almost feel him sitting there rocking while listening to the song.  He slips some leisurely harp into the mix.

“Blues House Party” brings all the horns out for a jumping party song. He invites all of us to come along “I will tell you why. They have good people there. They have a barbeque. They have ice cold beer and whiskey too. They have a band on the stand tearing the place apart”. Sounds like a good time. “Ale 100” “makes me feel so blue cause I cannot drink Ale 100 without you. I wanted to drink and get high when you left and said goodbye”. ” I have been sober since you left me.”

“Not From Texas” has a notable history. In 2022, Texas guitar man Alan Haynes toured Europe and while in Denmark invited JB to sit in with him. For the occasion, JB wrote this song for the pair to play. The song cites JB’s dream to go to Texas to play there, particularly in clubs like Antone’s. JB decided to include the song on this record and invited Alan to record a guitar track for the album. He agreed and mailed a track to JB from his Texas studio. Alan owns Stevie Ray Vaughan’s 1962 Fender Stratocaster that he named “Red” and plays it for the addition on this track.

“Hüggeli Hüggeli” brings out the horns again for a rocking time announcing the band as a dance step noting “we will be happy here with you. There is no reason to be blue. The only thing we want to do is to try to make you happy too”. The band will “Get Funky” with Hanse’s sax leading the way and JB offering some excellent solo work and Josef’s organ humming along. “You Look Like a Blues Boy” “when you are walking down the street.  You say hi to everybody and are kind to everyone you meet. But you got the blues on your mind and your heart is filled up too.”

“Get My Baby Back” gets thing rocking again as he declares “I got this woman; I don’t want to leave her alone.” If you see my woman, tell her I am coming back”.  The title track, “The Blues Supadupa” is a celebration and tribute to the Danish blues community.

The band is excellent and would easily serve as a great addition to any blues festival in America. JB’s vocals are comfortable and inviting. The band is well ingrained into the Texas sound they want to emulate, but mixes things up to create their own unique vision of 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.