Chris Thayer – One Foot in the Grave

Inland Blue Records

www.ctandthetcb.com

10 Tracks – 42 minutes

Chris Thayer is a native Californian where he has been heavily involved in the southern California music scene since the 1990’s. The band was originally known as Big Papa and the TCB. Numerous songs recorded by the band have been used in television and shows and movies. But it is their signature song “Go Big Papa” that has had the largest exposure. In 2009, Papa John Pizza chose the song to be the official Papa John’s Pizza theme song and used it in multiple national TV commercials over several years including during the Super Bowl.

Their bio states “Chris Thayer and The TCB band was born in the back alleys and seedy after-hours juke joints.  Their high energy blend of blues, R&B, and rock is a guaranteed greazy (sic) good time.”  The band has now released eight studio albums, three live albums, one best of album and one EP. However, for this album Chris advises that he is the whole TCB band.  He plays all the instruments on the album. He assures that “the band is the best it’s ever been, tight as hell and on fire with talent”. “But I felt I needed to add something new to the blues, something that was true to who I am and my influences and experiences.” “I let the muse take control and just followed where it led”.

“Dynamite” opens the album with Chris stating, “Look to the left, look to the right, somebody’s changing the world tonight.” “Come on into the light, illumination feels all right.” “Your future set to ignite, in explosive dynamite”. All with Chris’ dynamic guitar roaring through.  On “Where There’s Smoke”, he says “You are barely holding it together. What are you going to do when you cannot handle the pressure?” He declares “It Hurts to Stay in Bed” in my bones and in my head. I think I will hit the club instead. Your perfume on my pillowcase. A million soft kisses all over my face. In this room we had our first embrace, but memories hang all over the place.”  “Deep inside emotions soar.”  ” I think I will play me some guitar instead”.

“That Ship Has Sailed” slows things down with a sad guitar and easy piano as he sings, “It was like the fairy tales, boy meets girl and so they fell. Years went by, I heard the bells led to believe that all was well.  So many wasted kisses that I would never get back.” You could come back crawling on your knees, but that ship has sailed.” Things just go “From Bad to Worse” as he notes “Things ain’t quite right in the air tonight.” “It feels just like a curse without the magic words.” “There is only one thing sure, nothing in life is pure”.   Things rock out again as he declares it is “Loud and Clear” “Evil men and their evil ways replay the sins of yesterday. You say enough, there is no doubt the world is changing right here and now.”

“One Foot in the Grave” moves back to a slow soulful cry, “A whole mess of broken hearts just waiting on you. You are up to no good, all the wicked things you do. You are going to have to answer.” “It’s just a matter of time before it all comes crashing down and you are going to have to answer for all the heartache you gave.” “Go Bump in the Night” is an easy rocker. “The moon is up and the spirits are out to play.” in a spooky tale. On “Fool’s Paradise” he embraces environmental concerns as “We dig down the mountain, we corrupt the skies, we dig in our heels and won’t compromise. We reject the truth, and raise the light, we won’t see with the wool pulled over our eyes”.  “We scorch the earth and melt the ice, leave poor mother nature to pay the price”. The album ends with “When Push Comes to Shove” as he continues with his social concerns.  “Seems like every day is worse than before. Bad news out front, don’t know that we can take much more.” “Someday we are going to have a whole lot to answer for.”  “They say the sun comes up at the darkest times”. “Got to put aside the anger and spite. What happened to the love your faith is built upon?”

Chris delivers a powerful blues rock album airing clear social and environmental concerns with a mixture of woman problems. Both are well expressed with solid guitar backing and solos. His songs are directed to the source of blues in today’s world to increase a relevance for the genre.

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.

Delta Generators – On & On

self release

www.deltagenerators.com

15 songs time – 54:43

Boston’s Delta Generators bring a blues-rock energy that embodies parts of blues, heavy metal, rockabilly, rock, Americana and God knows what else. They are a potent outfit with front man Brian Templeton on hard-charging vocals and harmonica, backed by Charlie O’Neal on guitar, Rick O’Neal on bass and drummer Jeff Armstrong. All songs were written by the band with the lyrics by Brian Templeton. Their sound is a mixture of blues-rock and straight-ahead heavy-handed rock. Some blues elements, but not much you can really call blues.

They jump right out of the chute with the hit-you-over-the-head heavy blues-rock of “I Got You”. “Button” is one of three 25-30 second snippets. Distorted spoken word over slide guitar. The slide guitar hook on “Poker Face” is truly infectious. Brian’s take charge vocal is the perfect fit. “Mr. Vain” has a guitar riff that is doubled on harmonica. Brian’s voice is a force of nature. More powerful slide-harmonica-vocal energy on “Drone”. “Hernan’s Stomp” is another snippet with spare percussion, slide guitar and harmonica that leads into “Mr. C”, an energetic harmonica-vocal workout.

“Baby Bomb” is an aural assault on the senses, heavy as all hell. Ringing guitar fires up the loping rhythm of “Bet”. Charlie O’Neal’s wicked electric slide guitar battles it out with Brian’s scorching harmonica runs on “Ginny Mae”. They kick up a Mississippi juke joint vibe on the “riff-alicious” “Strength In Numbers”. An Ominous slide guitar percolates through the slow and deliberate “Never Again”. “Little Rat” with only a vocal accompanied by percussion as “Little rat in the cat hat” is repeated. It gives off an acapella Son House atmosphere. Rockabilly with a slight AC-DC guitar tint as “Deep State Of Mind” ends the show on an upbeat note.

Blow the dust out of your speakers with this nifty guitar-harmonica fueled romp. These guys kick butt in the most positive way. A musical Primal Scream.

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

Steven Charles Cecil – Teens Know Best (Story and Clark Vol. 2)

Self Released

14 tracks/55 minutes

Steven Charles Cecil was Bobby Parker’s keyboardist for two decades. He toured with him from 1993 to 2012 and also toured with Sherman Robertson and Little Jimmy King. He also plays on this recording. Others he’s appeared with include Trudy Lynn, Albert Storo and the Soul Hustlers & Sherman Robertson. This is the second entry of music with folks he collaborated with during COVID who performed at various location to put Volume 1 together, mostly cover songs. This subsequent effort is also a remote collaboration and builds on the effort by putting music to the UK’s Martin Newman lyrics. The Story and Clark reference is a huge, vintage piano used mostly on the first CD.

He is joined on this album by many a talented musician. Little Ray Ybarra on guitar is from  Port Arthur, Texas. He played with Paul Orta, Lazy Lester and front the Blue Sonics. Bassist Jessica Will is from Austin and played behind Sherman Robertson, Trudy Lynn, Alan Haynes, Albert Storo and the Soul Hustlers. She sometimes now tours with Chris Duarte, and plays regularly with Beth Lee and the Breakups. Johnny Long on sax hails from  DC and was with Bobby Parker, Wilson Picket, and B.B. King.  Morgan “Jerry” Norris on drums and backing vocals played with Sam & Dave, New Catus Band, Issac Hayes, Bobby Parker, and Chris Polk. Mark Brown also on drums played with Bobby Parker, Clones of Funk. Another drummer appearing is Willie McCullen from the Houston Ensemble, Hazy Ray (NOLA band), and Mark Dina Group (jazz fusion). Cherria Rattler on vocals has appeared with many jazz groups in the 70s & 80s in Houston area, provided vocals for Free Radials. Also on guitar is  Ronnie Edwards from Junior Marvin’s band. Dale “MD” Elenich on trumpet & sousaphone is from Milwaukee and is an arranger for Salsa and Jazz Groups, Hot & Dirty Brass Band, and Swing Syndicate. Dane Paul Russel on harp is also from bands with Bobby Parker and the Kelly Bell Band.

“Consumer Durables” opens the album and has Lil Ray Ybarra and Martin Newman on the cut.  Cecil sings about his woes with many a product that he has the blues with. Stinging guitar and keys are the prominent. The funky “Flashbacks” follows, featuring Morgan Norris, Lil Ray and Newman.  More guitar licks, keys and a nice bass groove.

Then it’s “Don’t Know Don’t Care,” a punk mix with horns with Lil Ray, Johnny Long, Jessica Will, Willie McCulen, Dale “Md” Elenich  and Newman. It’s a wild one! Then we have “Stuck on Him” featuring Lil Ray. Much more sedate than the prior track, we have some sax and keys backing things nicely.

“Talking Song: is a cut with Dane Paul Russell, Morgan Norris, Lil Ray and Newman. We gets some cool harp, smooth keys, and the guitar stings sharply. “Baltimore” is a Randy Newman cover  with Lil Ray, Cherria Rattler on vocals, Mark Brown and Will. Funky vocals, guitar and keys are featured here.

Tony Fazio & Kurt Urban are on Earl King’s “Big Chief” with rollicking piano and organ for a prolonged intro. Then Cecil comes in with horn support on this midtempo, bouncy cut.

“Too Much Baggage” has Lil Ray, “MD” Elenich, Brown and Newman. They set a nice groove and MD’s trumpet adds nicely to the track.

Then “Dark Days” with Lil Ray, Rattler returning on vocals, and Brown and Will. Rattler give us some cool slow blues with nice instrumental support on keys and especially guitar. “Straight Out of Beaumont” has Lil Ray along with keys and horns giving us some funked up instrumental stuff to savor.

The remaining cuts are listed as Bonus Tracks. “Always Something There to Remind Me” is an old Burt Bacharach tune with Long on sax, Cherria back on vocals and Ronnie “Guitar” Edwards filling on guitar in on a bluesy rendition of this pop classic. “Stop Teasing Me has the same crew plus Newman on this original track. Nice organ and guitar along with Rattler with a bit of a Caribbean flair make this interesting.

Rattler, Long & Bill Morano help out on “Shoebox Morning,” a nicely done R&B number. With a nice groove going for it. Cherria sings prettily, the sax is sultry, the keys are solid and all in all it combines for a cool cut.  The album wraps up with “Don’t Know Don’t Care,”  a commercial mix featuring Lil Ray, Will, Brown, Long, “Md” and Newman. It’s a high energy, rocking cut with a punk feel to it. Big organ, shouting vocals and driving beat are the order of business here.

Recorded in Texas, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. and then mixed and mastered by Jim Fox, this is an eclectic music mix of heartfelt tunes. Blues, rock, R&B, and more get whirled together for fourteen tracks of mostly original stuff to enjoy.

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.

Nicky T And The Snake Charmers – Ain’t Wasting Time

Self-release

https://nickytblues.com

11 songs – 52 minutes

Nicholas Tabarias, known professionally as Nicky T, grew up in the rich Detroit blues scene and he and his band, the Snake Charmers, frequently play shows across the Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario region.  Their latest release, Ain’t Wasting Time, should significantly broaden their appeal. It is glorious celebration of the classic urban blues of the 1960, given a modern lick of paint.

Tabarias is a gifted singer and top notch guitar player, with a classic style clearly influenced by the likes of BB King and Magic Sam. The fact that he has played on five Ronnie Earl albums (and Mr Earl guests on this album) is obvious testament to his six-string abilities. The Snake Charmers, comprising Pete Berg on drums, Frank Greenhalgh on bass and Andy Szymanski on keyboards, provide sublime support. They are joined by a number of guest musicians, including Greg Nagy who provides lead vocals on three tracks, Chris Codish on piano/organ, Keith Kaminski on tenor and baritone saxophone and Charlie Miller on trumpet.

Recorded by Sound Shop Studios, and magnificently produced, engineered and mixed by Josh Ford, with mastering by Jim Kissling, Ain’t Wasting Time has a rare depth and clarity to its sound, which is reflected in the quality of the musical performances.

The album kicks off with a romping interpretation of Magic Sam’s “That’s All I Need” and it’s immediately apparent that Tabarias isn’t one of those all-too-common guitar virtuosos with a tolerable singing voice. He has a great singing voice, clear, articulate and deeply emotional. And the combination of his voice and his guitar is a killer combination. His solos throughout the album are consistently melodic and deeply emotional – and he gains additional kudos for slipping in subtle acknowledgements to his influences in his solos. While “Thank You Magic Sam” has a clear nod to “Lookin’ Good”, note how he also adds  a few melodic lines from “Okie Dokie Stomp” into the solos in both “Waiting On The Sunshine” and the swinging instrumental, “Charming The Snake”. Tabarias wrote or co-wrote seven of the tracks on the album, with Berg contributing the Fabulous Thunderbirds-esque “Feel Like A Hundred”. The two additional covers are inspired versions of Bobby Blue Bland’s “Lead Me On” and BB King’s “Guess Who”, both of which feature stunning vocals from Nagy.

As you would expect from someone who has worked closely with Ronnie Earl, Ain’t Wasting Time contains a number of beautiful slow blues, not least the title track itself. Tabarias’s solo on “Lead Me On” is worth the price of admission by itself, while the interplay between Tabarias and Earl on “The Glass” (with another outrageously good vocal from Nagy) is breathtaking.

The album closes with the Delta-influenced “Life On Life’s Terms” where Tabarias’s finger-picked acoustic guitar blends beautifully with Kurt Crandall’s harmonica.

Ain’t Wasting Time is an absolute delight and will surely feature on a number of lists of the best blues releases in 2026.

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

Dida Pelled – I Wish You Would

La Reserve – 2026

www.didamusic.com

9 tracks; 41 minutes

Dida Pelled is based in Brooklyn and best known as a jazz guitarist, but here offers reinterpretations of nine blues (and jazz) classics. Dida handles guitar and vocals, Sullivan Fortner is on piano and Rhodes, Tony Scherr on bass and Kenny Wolleson on drums, all these musicians being well-known jazz players whose résumés include artists as diverse as Loudon Wainwright, Natalie Merchant, The Holmes Brothers, Norah Jones, Roy Hargrove, Bill Frisell and John Scofield. These are tunes that Dida and her band play regularly live and the result is a fascinating blend of cool jazz/blues with sultry vocals and an overall feel of teasing sensuality.

John Lee Hooker’s “Dimples” leads the way and was pre-released as a single with a video that everyone should check out online! Dida takes Hooker’s heavy style and transforms it into a light, danceable tune with a sexy vocal; watch out, you’ll find yourself humming this one all day long! “Hesitation Blues” is a traditional tune that has been recorded many times; readers may know it from the Hot Tuna version. Dida’s take on the tune harks back to Jelly Roll Morton’s version, her laid-back vocals sitting over a relaxed, jazzy soundtrack with rolling piano and brushed drums. “Sister Kate” dates back to 1922 and is believed to be an early Louis Armstrong composition, though it is credited to Clarence Williams; thematically it picks up on one of the themes of “Hesitation Blues” when it describes the young lady getting the boys excited with her dancing, making Dida sing that she wants to “shimmy like my Sister Kate”, leading her into a well-poised guitar solo and some angular piano stylings from Sullivan. Buddy Johnson’s “Since I Fell For You” crossed over into mainstream pop and is these days classed as a ‘Great American Songbook’ title. The band emphasises the ballad qualities of the song in a lovely, gentle version with every instrument playing its part in the interpretation, but do check out Dida’s terrific solo. “Rosa Mae” dates from a 1974 session late in the career of its writer, Mary Lou Williams. Played mainly as an instrumental with Sullivan switching to Rhodes electric piano for this one, Dida adds a short vocal towards the end, having found a rare set of lyrics for the tune.

Billy Boy Arnold’s “I Wish You Would” provides the title for the album. Dida’s version retains the stop-start style of the original, the Rhodes giving the tune an added urgency, Dida’s cool vocal style standing apart from the rest of the tune, an interesting reinterpretation of a blues classic which makes it hard to listen to without moving something! Another blues classic, “Sittin’ On Top Of The World” goes back to The Mississippi Sheiks in 1930, though many will know it from either Howling Wolf or Cream. Dida slows it down a fair amount but it still works well, guitar and Rhodes sitting quietly behind her vocal. A second visit to the Great American Songbook follows with “Blues In The Night” (Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer) and this one is more obviously in the jazz tradition than much of the album, Dida adapting the lyrics to include reference to her home town of Brooklyn. The album concludes with what is probably the least well-known song here, “Trouble” by Gladys Shelley; the song was recorded on an obscure album by Dakota Staton. Bassist Tony knew the song because he had played in Dakota’s band and suggested it to Dida whose very quiet version is just her voice and shimmering guitar, joined by Tony who switches from bass to guitar for this one while piano and drums sit it out.

This is a great album to listen to late at night. Its subtle rhythms and superb musicianship allow Dida to inhabit the songs and make them her own.

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’.

In this day and age, it can be hard to find a band that rocks with the primal force of the Rolling Stones or the Blasters in their prime.

In February at the Winter Blues Fest in Des Moines, Iowa, sponsored by the Central Iowa Blues Society, Nikki Hill and her stellar band did all that and more. Hill commanded the stage, a whirling bundle of energy in search of release the only way she knows how. Backed by the twin guitars of her husband, Matt Hill, and the award-winning Laura Chavez, powered by the masterful rhythmic foundation from veterans Marty Dodson on drums and Nick Gaitan on bass, Hill finished off the fest with a magnificent set that no one wanted to end.

Her original songs, steeped in blues, gospel, and R&B elements with the ever-present passion of rock ‘n’ roll, are another integral aspect of her artistry, delivered by a voice that can be raucous one moment, beguiling the next. But, as she is quick to mention, it is the contributions of her band members that give her an edge up.

“Over the years, a lot of it was  being able to pick up people regionally and just locally where we lived. I know it’s slightly cliche, but the current line-up really did come together very organically. When I was looking for a bass player to take out on these longer road trips, I ended up just calling up my Houston friend, Nick Gaitan. Both Matt and I had seen him play with different bands.

“We’re fans of his solo project, Umbrella Man, and I saw him play bass with Billy Joe Shaver, and it was really just a kind of a casual reach out. I heard good things about him. He was a great hang. That one really sort of flowed together well. At the time Matt and I were living in New Orleans, and there’s always a great Houston, New Orleans connection, musically, culturally.

“I had played with Marty Dodson the first time I came out to the West Coast. He was backing Matt and I when we were doing double duty shows at that time, trying to just build our crowd up. Marty was playing with Nathan James. They backed us and we just kept up a great relationship. I have always loved Marty’s playing, as does any blues and roots player that you talk to that knows about him. We’re both just big fans of all kinds of music, really reaching beyond the scope of blues, but with ultimate respect and a nod to the blues and everything that it teaches you, especially about drumming. So I knew that would be a really cool pairing when I gave him that call to join. My drummer before that, Chris Reddan, was great, but he had an injury, so getting Marty has definitely worked out in a beautiful way.

“And the same thing with Laura Chavez, our amazing guitar player. We met when she was playing with Candye Kane. They came through St. Louis where we were living at the time, and her and I hit it off really well. I had just started doing local gigs in St. Louis when we met. Laura and Candye were super fun to hang out with. I was a fan. And then, a little later into playing, I wanted to add another element to the band, and I decided on two guitars, have someone pair up with Matt’s heavy rhythm guitar playing to be able to add a little more tone and essence to the songs, especially playing live.

“I had that idea and went on the road with another guitar player. The schedule got really busy, and I needed someone that could roll with that. Finally I said, “Man, screw it. I’m going to call Laura. It would be so fun. Let’s see what she says,” and she immediately said yes. We’ve just been rolling that way ever since.

“It’s all just really been great, holding onto these friendships with these really amazing musicians. I’ve been so lucky to have people that believe in what I do, dig what I do enough to just say, “Hey, yeah, I want to go out here and do this.” And, man, they’ve stuck with me since then, so it’s been good. They certainly leave me speechless sometimes!

“I’m also very proud of myself too, and proud of Matt and I for just being able to do this together and live this life with such a killer band. You see it at our shows. It’s amazing when things in your head really come together in reality as a result of them playing together.”

Being married and playing in a band together has often been a recipe for disaster. Hill is thankful that her relationship with Matt developed over time, giving them a much firmer foundation that allows them to weather the usual marriage issues plus the stress of many nights on the road.

“We were both hanging out in some similar friend circles. I used to work at a music venue and bar in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, called Local 506, meeting musicians and artists, and that eventually led to us meeting through mutual friends. A lot of our connection was definitely music, and we were both on the younger end of our peer group, so it was just really cool to find a younger person that was into the same styles of music with a lot of the same ideas. We were friends for years and then started dating well after that. I used to see Matt before we were dating, see him playing with people like Bob Margolin, or see him at different blues shows or festivals we both were booked on.

“We came from similar backgrounds, but had different things to share with each other, a lot of which really crossed over. One of our biggest similarities was a lot of the artists that we were into fed our desire to just keep reaching further back. Whoever we were into, what did they listen to, and then who did that person listen to? And that all eventually taps into the blues, gospel, country music. It definitely adds something to the way that we perform together.

“It’s like any relationship that you really value and care about, just having a foundational friendship first has really helped. So we’ve seen the good, bad, and the ugly before, during, after kind of a thing. That means we are able to say, “All right. We’re partners, we’re married, but you’re one of my best friends in the world.” We do things out of that point of care, out of that point of respect and communication.

“It’s another benefit of just having that grounding when you’re out on the road, especially as often as we’re doing it. This shit is chaotic when it comes down to it. It might be our life and what we do, but moving around a lot and constantly changing schedules, different sleep schedules, it’s really something else. At the end of the day, even with any difficulty, having someone there that can help you through that, hold your hand through it a little more intimately than a band mate, it’s really just a beautiful thing. We’ve been touring full time since 2014, been together 24/7, 365 days for that long, give or take two or three days out of that whole time. That’s pretty special for me.”

Growing up in Durham, North Carolina, Hill’s introduction to vocalizing came from the church. The lessons she learned have stuck with her through the years since.

“It wasn’t necessarily something that I chose to do. If you’re a young kid in the South, and if your parents go to church, you are going to go to church, and that’s just the way it is. So it was Sunday school and service, and then vacation Bible school in the summertime. And throughout that, I was in the church choir, so we’d have rehearsals once or twice a week, and then we’d be the ones singing during the service.

“So I started that really young. And obviously, as a young kid, sometimes you just hate being told what to do or where to go, and to sit still. But, it’s one of those things that I definitely appreciate a lot more now, knowing what it really showed me and how I utilize that, in ways I never thought I would at the time. I never had any dreams of singing beyond that, so it’s pretty special.

The church experience gave her a firm foundation for what was to come, lessons on how to shake the rafters and deliver the promise of the Holy Ghost spirit.

“Well, I went to what I’d call a holy roller church. Music was a big part of the service. It was always really lively. We had an incredible choir director, and great band, which started out very stripped-down, all vocals. So first off, you’re learning melodies, harmonies. You’re learning direct interaction with the crowd. It’s automatic rock ‘n’ roll show when you’re in church, and you’re pushing and pulling with the crowd.

“There’s call and response. There’s dance. It’s never been a thing for me to have to connect or disconnect gospel and roots music. Everything I’ve seen in church, I later saw as a teenager going to see live music. You know what I mean? It’s that same energy, that same good feeling it gives you, that same power of the presence of the room and the people in the rooms. And that’s really the basis of where I start when I’m thinking about rock ‘n’ roll, roots, soul, blues. Yeah, the church really taught me a lot.”

As impressive as Hill can be live, some audience members may have concern about how hard she seems to be pushing her voice, with an intensity level that is often dialed up to the proverbial “11” mark.

“It’s so funny to hear that, especially when I’m out at the merch table talking to people. I think about some of our favorite artists, blues artists and jazz singers, performers in these smoky clubs and bars, them smoking packs of cigarettes, and still being able to unleash these incredible voices or musical performances.

“I feel like I’m at the base end of the vocal stressing. But there definitely is a technique and, not that I’m always using that as I’m untrained, but definitely over the years I’ve had to think about the way I push certain things vocally. But, man, adrenaline is a hell of a drug. If we could bottle that up and sell it, I don’t really know what the outcome would be, but it’s amazing in the moment what you’ll push yourself to do, and then your body just gets rid of it. I can’t explain it in any other way. But some of those squalls and screams, they’re more performatively stressful than they are actually vocally stressful.

“But the concern is valid, so I drink lots of tea and water. I stay very hydrated, try to stay healthy, and even over the years of learning it, there’s definitely things I did when we first started touring that would really stress me out now,. People always talk about the importance of sleep and hydration, and that shit really matters. But I definitely still have a problem with going to a loud bar after the gig, hanging out, talking and drinking all night. I don’t do it as much, so that’s progress.”

Hearing her music, one soon starts to pick up on some of the artists that have inspired Hill, especially with her songwriting

“The Staple Singers, just clearly for so many reasons, musically, lyrically, just the raw, unfiltered vibe of it, definitely is a big inspiration. On that same note, I love artists like Otis Redding. I love girl groups from the ’60s, like The Ronettes and The Supremes. And I love rock ‘n’ roll and punk rock, like Bad Brains and Little Richard, who I would consider very punk. Gosh, it can really spread out there, but those are some of the main heavy hitters for me.

“When it comes to songwriting, I have my phone, which I pray every day will not fall apart in my hands because it’s very old, but I have so many voice notes. I typically start with a lot of melodies, and I’ll match that to things I’m writing. The melody comes first, and then an idea kicks in that follows behind that. A lot of times when I’m writing, it’s honestly not leaning towards songwriting, it’s just writing to get feelings out. For the upcoming album, there’s no covers on it. I usually leave the covers for the live show.”

There is a new album in the works, and the singer is excited about releasing a recording that will showcase her and the band in all of their glory. Her previous releases include Here’s Nikki Hill, Heavy Hearts Hard Fists, and Feline Roots, all available at her website:  www.nikkihillrocks.com

“I’ve actually recorded an album at Sam Phillips Studio in Memphis. Scott Bomar, who’s an amazing sound engineer, engineered the album, and I’ve done some collaborative work with him before, so it was really cool to get us all in there to Memphis and do that. Now I’m living the typical musician dream where I’ve got to find the money to get this shit moving. I’ve been testing out a lot of the songs on the road, and it’s a cool thing to see the reaction, especially after the show when people say, “Wow, I really, really like the new song.” I have the full band recorded on it, so it’s just been really special to make that happen.

“If it worked out, it would be cool to release the new album through a label, but with my previous albums I’ve done really great with licensing with a distributor, so that’s probably what will end up happening. But checking offers and reaching out, that’s all part of the game, so we will see.

Sometimes I’ve had various responses where the deals aren’t great, or I’ve even had labels say, “Hey, I really think you could do better for yourself than we can do for you.” And they’re saying that in a complimentary way, but I’m always like, “Man, I could still just use the money,” you know

“It’s been the same road of difficulty. I’ll hand it to the fan base and the roots music scene for being truly so supportive. It’s really amazing. I have people that come to the shows and they’re like, “Well, I bought this CD last time, but I’m going to buy it again!” And it’s really heartfelt, which is great. But the vinyl is definitely still having that upswing. As recession hits hard and people are watching their pennies, I’m wondering how much of that payoff is there with that giant expense of trying to supply vinyl.

“I think there’s going to be a discussion that gets really heavy, that has already started happening. A lot of people are uncovering some of the bullshit around streaming and paying for playlists and those different attempts and all the money that independent artists have been pushed to put into that. I’ll give it to folks listening to this kind of music, because it seems people still really want the live experience, or they want the physical product, or they’re personally asking, “What are other ways that we can support you?

“So fingers crossed, wishful thinking, but shit, I think we’re all kind of there in all different industries. Knock on wood, I’ve been really lucky with being able to keep up with merchandise sales. But the purchasing up front is honestly the hardest part in a lot of ways, investing before you get return. But again, that’s kind of the name of the game, right?”

For Hill, the live stage is her refuge. She is free to be herself, share her joys and pain with her legion of fans.

“I feel like being in the “zone,” is what we’re all reaching for when you’re on stage and I’d say even off,. There’s nothing like having a live show that moves you. It’s always really cool to be part of creating that. For me, performing is really just all about the freedom on the stage, something I don’t necessarily feel like I have day to day, but then on the stage, I know that for 90 minutes, it’s just about me and the band and the audience having a connection together.

“I do everything I can to just keep that as a cathartic moment, so that we’re not having to over-filter our movements, our expressions. It feels great to let loose in a fun way, but also in a way of just balling everything up, the rage, the sadness, the joy, all of it kind of coming together and, like I said before, it’s the same thing I felt would happen when I was in church, what church people call catching the spirit.

I don’t think that’s any different than when you’re at a punk show and people are in the pit moving around as one unit, or when you’re listening to a singer-songwriter and tears are brought to people’s eyes by the words or the tone of the singer’s voice. Just being able to take all of that in, it’s so human that it ends up touching people in the end, even if you can’t identify it. I think sometimes people stretch it a little far when they say, “Oh, there’s just no good bands,” or, “No one’s doing it like this.” My mind gets blown pretty often when I have a chance to go see live music. The amount of access we have is incredible, but I still feel like I’m digging, like the way I used to, searching for stuff to get me excited.”

She has being doing things her own way, and has no plans to change course. When you put it all out there, night after night, there is a price to be paid if you lose focus. For Nikki Hill, those moments when she can cut loose are strands in a lifeline that keep her connected to the human race, making the world a better place one show at a time.

“As I was getting into music and starting to perform,my mom was always saying, “Do it while everything works, while you feel good, and push it all out there.” And I’ve just always really taken it to heart. I hope I’ll be maybe one day a more mellow Nikki Hill. I might have that era in me one of these days, even though it’s not right now. It feels like a beautiful mission at the moment to really just push out that message of joy and compassion for yourself and for each other, and for courage. It’s really being up there making a cathartic experience. I want people to know you can be yourself, and, as long as you’re not a shitty person, the consequence isn’t going to be there the way you think it is.

“I’ve spent a lot of my career kind of messing up or having wrong things happening on stage. In moments like that, people can be a bit taken aback or amazed by what they are experiencing. I always hope in the end, our show encourages people to say, “Well, she went up there and did that and survived, and she’s got other gigs.” The independent artists like myself, the ones really pushing it and giving it their all, we’re not necessarily the ones getting seen. It is so important for me to really keep the faith that there’s more of us out there just to be able to keep going.

“I think I say it at every show. I just want to make sure you know my name, whatever that means. Because everyone’s got a different way of remembering, but just make sure you know my name, baby. It is my way of making sure that everybody remains courageous. We especially need that now, industry-wise and, of course, across the board as humanity in general.”

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!

Dave Thomas – Bridge Street Blues

Blonde On Blonde Direct

www.davethomasblues.uk

10 songs – 39 minutes

Dave Thomas is a Welsh singer, guitarist and songwriter who has had a long and storied career in music, emerging from the same 1960s blues boom in the UK that produced the likes of John Mayall, Eric Clapton and Peter Green (one of his early bands was even supported by Fleetwood Mac). He has been releasing records since then, both in a band setting and solo, and Bridge Street Blues completes his recent trilogy of pure blues albums exploring his roots in the music.

Recorded in at Ar Neamh Studios in County Cork, Ireland, Bridge Street Blues features 10 original tracks, eight written by Thomas himself, and two co-written with Julia Smalley. The songs’ lyrics mine the traditional blues themes of love, loss, travel and music. The album opens with “Go To Legends”, a celebration of the Chicago blues culture, while the aching slow blues of the title track is a heartfelt tribute Newport in South Wales where Thomas was born and grew up. The music is straight-up, primarily mid-paced, modern blues, with an acoustic guitar used to good effect as a subtle rhythm instrument in “City Streets” or as the driving force in “Big Fast Car”. The combination of just two acoustic guitars and a single voice on “Busted” is one of the album highlights.

Thomas handles all the vocals and the majority of the guitars, with all other instruments played or programmed by master producer and multi-instrumentalist, Declan Sinnott, who also mixed and mastered the album.

Thomas sings in a gentle, relaxed, laid-back manner that suits the music nicely, particularly on the charming “Honey”. His guitar playing is quite masterful, reminiscent of JJ Cale in its nonchalant, minimalist melodicism, always leaving the listener wanting more. The slide guitar in “Gone For Good” is beautifully greasy and swampy, meshing nicely with Sinnott’s harp, while the fills in “Mr Moonchild” are a delight. Thomas even adds some wah-wah to tracks like “I Know You Through And Through”, which gives a cool retro vibe to those songs.

Bridge Street Blues is an enjoyable listen with some absolute superb guitar playing. If there is a criticism to be leveled at the album, it’s that the programmed drums can at times lack the subtle variations and variety produced by a human. On the other hand, a track like “All Loved Up” starts with a single acoustic guitar before Thomas and Sinnott build layers of instrumentation as the song progresses, even throwing in some horns in a delightfully swinging number. On balance, this is definitely an album worth investigating.

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

Corey Arceneaux & The Zydeco Fusion Band – Accordion Man

MoMojo Records – 2026

www.coreyarceneaux.com

10 tracks; 38 minutes

Corey Arceneaux is an experienced accordion player with a discography that goes back as far as a debut cassette in 1991! His latest release is very much a family affair as all three of his sons are involved: the eldest, Desmond Joseph, plays bass, youngest son Tyler Arceneaux is on drums, percussion and scrubboard and middle son Corey Jr. co-produced the album with his father and brothers; Joseph ‘Cookie’ Chavis adds electric guitar, Cecil Green keys, Erica Fox B/V’s (and one feature vocal) and Shane Bertrand adds percussion to one cut. Corey wrote nine of the songs, working with Denni Cravins on two, and there is one cover. The album was recorded at Dockside Studio in Maurice, Louisiana with vocal and accordion parts tracked in Fairfax, Virginia. Although the music here is rooted in Louisiana, it appears from his gig list that Corey is based on the East Coast with shows scheduled in Maryland , New York and West Virginia.

“The Intro” opens proceedings with some helicopter noises seemingly indicating the band’s arrival at Dockside Studio. That soon develops into the song’s subtitle, “Pull That Thing”, referencing Corey’s accordion and the zydeco that all his fans want him to play. The title track pounds along, another autobiographical song about the music he plays. “Good Old Days” is a little less frenetic as Corey reminisces about how he started in zydeco and the fun times they all had together, good backing vocals on this one. “Chock-A-Block” refers to how packed the dance floor is at the band’s shows and should be guaranteed to get you moving! Opening with the sound of rain, “When It Comes To You” features Cookie’s rhythm guitar alongside Corey’s accordion on an overtly romantic song: “you are the one that makes my life complete”. The band hits a soulful stride as the non-dancing narrator is taken out on to the floor where “she Taught Me How To Dance”.

Little Walter Jacobs’ “Last Night” is the cover and works well in a slowed-down version in which Corey’s accordion replaces the original harp lines. Erica Fox steps forward to feature on “Louisiana Woman”, starting with what sounds like a vocoder from the 70’s before the song builds up with Corey sharing the vocals, “my Louisiana Woman likes to ride in my truck”. That song is the first of two co-writes with Denni Cravins, immediately followed by the second, “Oh Mon Dieu”, which expresses the hope that things will get better if we all believe in love and peace. To close the album Corey features his son Tyler on the appropriately titled instrumental “Washboard Zydeco”.

Fans of zydeco music and the accordion will find plenty to enjoy on this one.

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’.

Mandalyn And The Hunters – Coffee

Self-Release – 2026

www.mandalynblues.com

10 tracks; 50 minutes

This is the debut release from this five piece band from Indiana. Mandalyn Papaenagelou fronts the band on vocals, Wes Rettinger is on guitar and B/V’s, Jim Johnson keys and B/V’s, Michael Boyle on bass and Maurice ‘Moe’ Taylor on drums. The experienced rhythm section has credits with Byther Smith, Son Seals, John Primer and Ronnie Baker Brooks and Moe was the drummer on Eddy ‘The Chief’ Clearwater’s late career album, 2008’s West Side Strut on Alligator. Originally a quartet, Jim joined the band after seeing them live in 2023, after which they came in third in the IBC in 2024. This debut album is all original music, credited to the entire band.

The album opens in strange fashion, sounding as if it was recorded in a pre-gig sound check, but then builds up well with a powerful bass riff as Mandalyn suggests that they should “Meet In The Middle”, Wes pulling out a powerful solo and Jim adding some swirling organ towards the end of the song. It is immediately obvious that Mandalyn’s voice is the band’s trump card and she goes on to demonstrate her prowess across all the songs. Her strong, passionate vocals are great on “Give It Away” which has a chugging guitar riff with exciting slide flourishes overdubbed. The title cut “Coffee” is a slower tune, Jim switching to piano and Wes showing a delicate side to his playing, Mandalyn offering a more restrained vocal as she sings of needing coffee in the morning, wine later in the day.

“Please Baby” bounces along well but is rather repetitive while “Finesse” belies its title with heavy wah-wah and funk. Things look up with the next song, an uptempo shuffle but more melodic with the keys to the fore as Mandalyn reproaches someone as she asks “Who You Think You Talkin’ To with a tone like that?”. Mandalyn sounds sultry on “Come On Easy”, the whole band catching the mood with guitar, piano and rhythm section locked in perfectly. It is hard to stay still to the strong bass line on “Dance” before what may be the key track here, “Witness”. This is a slow burn tune, Jim’s elegant piano bringing in Mandalyn with a powerful vocal that uses some of the lyrics to “Can I Get A Witness”, Wes’s slide further raising the stakes. The tune runs to six minutes, the final minute or so a gospel rave-up. The final track is another longer cut, a soulful ballad entitled “Standing Outside Your House”; Mandalyn again sounds terrific on this one, her voice strong but full of emotion too.

This is an enjoyable debut with four particularly good songs delivered by a strong vocalist backed by a solid band – check it out.

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’.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd – Ledbetter Heights – The 30th Anniversary Sessions

RAM Records – 2026

www.kennywayneshepherd.net

12 tracks; 65 minutes

It is thirty years since Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s debut album Ledbetter Heights, named after an African-American district of Kenny’s hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana. Here he commemorates that debut by revisiting the record with his current band. The twelve tracks are identical and in the same order as in 1995, the overall playing time a few minutes longer, but it is best to judge this record on its own merits rather than carry out a comparison with the original; after all, apart from KWS himself, the personnel is entirely different; Kenny plays all the guitar parts and shares the vocals with Noah Hunt, keys come from Joe Krown or Reese Wynans, Kevin McCormick is on bass and Chris ‘Whipper’ Layton on drums. Kenny wrote eight of the twelve tunes, with several different collaborators.

“Born With A Broken Heart” is a solid blues-rocker with some references back to SRV, no doubt helped by the presence of two of Stevie’s one-time bandmates. The quiet keyboard opening of “Deja Voodoo” gives way to Kenny’s complex lead interventions, no surprise that this one is still in the band’s live set thirty years on! The band’s interpretation of Bukka White’s “Aberdeen” was always a personal favourite from the original album and it is good to hear that the band has retained the acoustic slide intro, complete with slightly distorted vocals to imitate a 78 original, before the band powers in after a minute or so to amp up the number in convincing style. “Shame, Shame, Shame” sounds like it should have been drawn from a 50’s bluesman but was in fact written by Kenny and his original rhythm guitarist, Joe Nadeau, as were two other tracks on this album; Kenny’s guitar work on this one is dazzling while the rhythm section is rock solid in support.

The jagged rhythms of “One Foot On The Path” find the protagonist unsure how the relationship will last as he is half way out the door while “Everybody Gets The Blues” takes us down to New Orleans with funky rhythms and strong piano work. The half way point on Ledbetter Heights is again marked by an instrumental entitled “While We Cry” which, as on the original album, is marked as a live performance and some audience noise can be heard in the background. This new version is two minutes longer than in 1995, but it is equally good, the gentle, Hendrix-influenced opening section building into a striking guitar feature, the keys in warm support throughout. Kenny presumably learned “I’m Leaving You (Commit A Crime)” from SRV’s version, where it was incorrectly credited to Howling Wolf when it was, in fact, a James Oden tune. Leaving all that aside, it’s a great version, Noah Hunt’s vocals particularly good.

“Let Me Up (I’ve Had Enough)” is a short snatch of rock and roll with pounding piano and “Riverside” is a Kevin Bowe song that evokes the Mississippi in a moody setting with Kenny on both resonator and electric guitars. “What’s Going Down” ups the pace a little, another great vocal from Noah as he asks: “Have you looked around my friend and really seen what’s goin’ down, take a look into the sky and lay your hand down upon the ground”. The title cut, “Ledbetter Heights”, is a fast-paced instrumental that closes the album with more evidence of KWS’s ability on the guitar, expertly driven by Chris’s strong drum patterns.

The original album was a remarkable debut by an eighteen year-old unknown; the anniversary edition shows exactly why there was such a buzz about KWS thirty years ago and why he remains at the top of the Blues-Rock world.

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’.

Vinyl Paradise – Vinyl Paradise

Self-Release – 2024

www.linktr.ee/vinylparadise

12 tracks; 38 minutes

Further proof that the blues has no geographical limitations comes with the first album this reviewer has heard from a Maltese act. Vinyl Paradise is a trio, Ben Bailey on guitar and vocals, Antoine Tonna bass and Patrick Camilleri on drums, with backing vocals coming from Hannah and Amy Grech Pirotta. The album is an all-original effort (with all three musicians credited) and was recorded in Malta. This is the band’s debut release but they are currently working on a follow-up and have dates for summer 2026 at festivals in Romania and Canada, as well as touring in Europe and the UK. The debut is well recorded and clear and, as if to underline the band’s retro name, the three musicians are given left, right and center positions in the mix and the CD looks like a vinyl LP too!

The opener has dobro underneath the sparse rhythm section, the effect being quite an ‘old’ sound as Ben sings of “that Howlin’ Pain from long ago”. The next two tracks have more of a British 60’s Rn’B feel, especially in the ringing guitar solo in “Same Old Mistakes”. The band drops the pace for “Makin’ It Worse”, Ben interjecting a few guitar touches that bring Peter Green to mind before the band ups the pace again with Ben’s easy rhythm work and lead flourishes, the catchy song extolling the attractions of “Amsterdam”.

“Seventeen Suits” has a rockier feel, guitar ringing out and the rhythm section catching fire, the meaning of the strange title remaining elusive, though Ben does state that “it’s all about the numbers”; a very aggressive wah-wah feature towards the end underlines a heavier approach here. The dobro returns on the attractive “Easy On Me” in which Ben bids farewell to a relationship, things stay mellow on “Can’t Go On Another Day” which has elements of Steely Dan meeting Bobby Bland, another interesting cut with excellent guitar workand good harmonies and “Like Never Before” maintains the gentle feel with more of a pop feel.

The album closes with three uptempo tunes. The first has a funky feel as Ben tells his girl “Don’t Keep Me Waiting”, then he describes a femme fatale with the description “She’s A Gun”, apparently “one shot will stop your heart”. “Another Thing Coming” moves along well with plenty of strong rhythm work and a fine solo mid-tune finishing the album on a high point.

There is solid musicianship here, clear production values and a strong lead vocalist, plus this debut album has few excesses, making it a good listen.

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’.