Catfish Keith – Sugar For Sugar, Vol. 1, 2025 Summer Sessions

Fish Tail Records

www.catfishkeith.com

10 tracks

Renowned acoustic blues man Catfish Keith presents tracks he laid down last summer. This is Catfish Keith’s 24th album, and this session had so many great tracks he’s releasing the other half of them later this year.  It’s a solo endeavor and he does what he does best- [lays and sings with real passion.

He begins with a lilting old Carter family song, “Hello Stranger.” Keith picks his way through this with vigor and growls out the vocal lead as only he can. He sings harmony with himself on “Wee Midnight Hours,” a cut recorded first by Blind Willie McTell and Curley Weaver in 1931. Slow and emotive, this one a deep and soulful cut.

The Gospel tune “John The Revelator” follows with Catfish on his National with some vibrant slide work. “Goose Steppin’ Blues” is next, an original cut that is a commentary on the plight of our nation.

Lil’ Son Jackson’s “Gambler’s Blues” gets covered slickly  with another National guitar featured and some delightful picking. Then it’s “Keep Out Of The Way Of The Sheriff,” done in the style of he Memphis Sheiks. The low end on the guitar throbs as Keith sings with passion.

Memphis Minnie’s “I’m So Glad” is done with feeling as Keith picks out some pretty notes. Sam McGee’s instrumental “Buck Dancers Choice” rings out nicely as Catfish plays vibrantly on a parlor guitar that serves his purpose well.

“James Alley Blues” is an old Crescent City Cut from Richard Rabbit Brown and Keith again uses his parlor guitar to good effect. The guitar rings clearly as he sings one of his favorite tunes. He finishes with his Stella on “Lonesome Katy,” a Mississippi Joe Callicott number. Keith howls the lead and plays with conviction.

Keith delivers another great album, following in the footsteps of his recent award nominated and winning releases. He once again showcases his prowess on guitar and down home vocals that are his trademark. Catfish’s fans will adore this album and those new to his music will understand why he is so well loved. He is likely on his way to more awards with this new album.

Editor’s Note: Catfish Keith is nominated for 2 Blues Music Awards. One for Acoustic Blues Album of the Year and one for Acoustic Blues Artist of the year.

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.

Kim Wilson – Slow Burn

MC Records MC0096

www.mc-records.com

12 songs – 51 minutes

A leading light in the blues world since forming the Fabulous Thunderbirds in the ’70s, harp player Kim Wilson has an enduring love for the multitude of musicians he’s played with through the years, and he plays tribute to three of them — pianist Barrelhouse Chuck Goering, bassist Larry Taylor and drummer Richard Innes – with this tremendous follow-up to The Bigtone Sessions, which earned him a Grammy nomination a few years ago.

The keyboard player and rhythm giants have all joined the big band in the sky in recent years, but they get to live again – and for you to enjoy – with this set, which combines sessions Wilson recorded for other projects in 2014 and 2020.

All of the material here is never-before released and fresh-out-of-the box, lovingly assembled by guitarist Nathan James, who plays guitar on seven of the 12 cuts and bass on another. The roster includes Wisconsin-based six-string master Billy Flynn along with Bob Welsh, who sits in on guitar and piano for one cut.

West Coast stalwarts Marty Dotson and Malachi Johnson share duties on percussion when Innes isn’t at the kit while Troy Sandow handles bass when Taylor’s not around. Johnny Viau makes an appearance on horns on two tracks. And Jon Atkinson drops in on guitar for a cut, too.

A mix of four originals and eight well-conceived covers, the set opens with Little Milton’s “I’m Trying,” a medium-tempo complaint that drinking rye whiskey, beer, gin and wine can’t erase thoughts about a lady who’s gone her separate way. Kim’s powerful tenor drives home the message accompanied by Nathan’s stinging lines on the strings.

The theme flips with Wilson’s “Leaving You on My Mind.” A 30-second circular run on the reeds set the tone before James and Dotson join in before Kim vows that — this time – he’s gone for good. His harp playing is featured throughout. Innes, Taylor, Barrelhouse and Billy Flynn are all on board and get a chance to shine for a powerful, unhurried take on B.B. King’s “Sweet Little Angel” before Kim blows the back off of his rapid-fire, dazzling instrumental, “Boogie in E.”

All of the featured principals are on board and as tight as can be for Howlin’ Wolf’s “Howlin’ for My Darlin’,” which flows perfectly into Sonny Boy Williamson II’s cautionary warning to his lady, “Keep Our Business to Yourself.” Barrelhouse Chuck’s two-fisted fills and runs are featured beneath Kim’s dagger-sharp harp lines as Innes maintains a perfect beat.

Another blast from the past comes in the form of Robert Nighthawk’s “The Time Has Come” and has all the featured artists on board. Themed like “Leavin’,” Wilson announces he’s heading for the door for a final time and the woman can’t do anything to stop him. He follows it up with the original complaint, “Lowdown Women,” which describes a lady with a bottle in her hand and mean things on her mind, and she wants to do is walk the street. Welsh sits in and helps brighten and lighten the load next with a take on Magic Sam’s “Easy Baby.”

Kim demonstrates his prowess on the tin whistle one more time with the uptempo, self-penned workout “Gotta Have a Horse” before Innes, Chuck and Taylor breathe life into the set for a final time, covering Nighthawk’s “Kansas City.” A take on Otis Rush’s “So Many Roads” brings the disc to a close.

This album is traditional, old-school blues in every way, and there’s a little bit of heaven in every note. Strongly recommended.

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.

B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100 – Celebrating the King of the Blues with Joe Bonamassa

Keeping The Blues Alive Records – 2026

www.ktbarecords.com

31 tracks; 2 hours, 21 minutes

This one will be hard to top as the blues album of the year. The ambitious project is a very worthy tribute to one of the blues’ Mount Rushmore figures. Last year was the centennial of King’s birth and Joe Bonamassa worked with the blessing of the King estate to produce a star-studded, three LP set covering all eras of his career. Bonamassa’s top-notch guitar slinging is the common thread throughout the record.

It features an absolute who’s who of the blues and greater musical universe, including Eric Clapton and Chaka Khan on King’s signature tune “The Thrill Is Gone”. Several generations of the blues are represented, ranging from Dion and Bobby Rush to Larkin Poe and Gary Clark, Jr. The album kicks off with perhaps the greatest Gen Z blues torch bearer, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, doing “Paying The Cost To Be The Boss”. It’s honestly hard to single-out any songs because all 31 tracks are strong. Bonamassa took the unique tact of releasing groups of five songs digitally well in advance of the actual vinyl release, to generate excitement.

One of the early singles was a standout from Michael McDonald, Susan Tedeschi, and Derek Trucks “To Know You Is To Love You”. A couple of veteran artists capture King’s signature groove accurately, Jimmie Vaughan on “Watch Yourself” and Chris Cain on “You Upset Me Baby”. The artist who bears the greatest musical and physical resemblance to King, D.K. Harrell, appears on Side F with one of the songs B.B. played the most, “Every Day I Have The Blues”. Another song that King almost always played live is covered here as a smoldering, slow shuffle by Warren Haynes, “How Blue Can You Get”.

Josh Smith co-produces with Bonamassa and teams with Marc Broussard for “Three O’Clock Blues”. Aloe Blacc’s version of “So Excited” picked up the pace and was particularly enjoyable. The song that probably comes closest to replicating King’s vocal sound is the ballad performed by George Benson, “There’s Must Be A Better World Somewhere”. The U2-written “When Love Comes To Town” is a good inclusion, reminding fans of King’s late ‘80s revival. It’s one of the harder rockers on the record, performed by Slash, Shemekia Copeland, and Myles Kennedy. Blues stars like Buddy Guy, Keb’ Mo’, Kim Wilson, Trombone Shorty, Eric Gales, Marcus King, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd with Noah Hunt all shine on their respective numbers.

Overall, the musicianship, singing, song selections, and production are exceptional, which is no surprise given Bonamassa’s history. It was recorded in several studios around the country, but largely at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles and GCR Audio in Buffalo.

The package itself is gorgeous with a black and gold theme and crown logo. There are many of photos of King at the varying stages of his career and shots of all the participating artists as well. The lead essay by noted music journalist Alan Light is a succinct summary of King’s career, ranging from his poor country upbringing in Mississippi to becoming the global blues ambassador who won 15 GRAMMYS, the National Medal of Arts, Kennedy Center Honors, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. An additional article by Light gathers the flavor of the project with quotes from several of the artists on the album.

The essay by Bonamassa is more personal, as he opened for King as a 12-year-old in 1990 in Rochester, New York, and went on to have a long relationship with the man. He calls B.B. a friend and mentor, who was as humble as he was talented. Bonamassa was quoted in the package saying, “A success for me will be if people go, ‘Wow, this is the greatest gathering of blues artists on one album in the last 50 years, if ever’.” Mission accomplished, sir.

Writer Dave Popkin is a Music News Reporter for WBGO FM in Newark/New York. He is a regional judge for The Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge and is a singer in the NJ-based band, Porch Rockers.

The Bobby Parker Band – New George’s San Rafael 1993

Rhythm And Blues Records

www.rhythmandbluesrecords.co.uk

16 songs – 151 minutes

Bobby Parker’s story is, sadly, all too common for a black musical artist in the twentieth century. Born in in Lafayette, Louisiana, but raised in Los Angeles, California, Parker was a fine singer, guitarist and songwriter who never achieved the fame or financial reward his talent deserved. Parker wrote Marv Johnson’s 1959 hit, “You Got What It Takes”, but he was believed he was cheated out of the songwriting credit by Berry Gordy. The main riff from his biggest hit, “Watch Your Step”, was “borrowed” by The Beatles as the basis for “I Feel Fine” and by Led Zeppelin for “Moby Dick”. Jimmy Page was a huge fan and tried to sign Parker to Led Zep’s Swan Song label, even providing an advance of $2,000 to record a demo tape but, having previously been burned in the music industry, Parker was reportedly hesitant or fearful of repeating past mistakes, which prevented him from finishing the project and the opportunity was lost.

He recorded two albums for the Black Top label in the 1990s, but mainstream success eluded him.  This new album, New George’s San Rafael 1993, released by the UK’s Rhythm And Blues Records, was recorded when Parker was promoting the first of those Black Top albums, Bent Out Of Shape, and features six tracks from the release. Backed by Willie Hicks on bass, Warren Witherspoon on drums, Steven Charles Cecil on keyboards, Johnny Long on saxes and Roland Hall on trumpet, New George’s San Rafael 1993 is a wonderful snapshot of Parker in fine form in front of an appreciative audience.

Parker mixes his own songs with some classic covers, such “Born Under A Bad Sign” or “Nineteen Years Old”, and both his singing and guitar playing are firing on all cylinders. This is a live recording, of course, and a number of the tracks stretch over ten minutes as the musicians take extended solos. And what a joy it is to hear top class musicians playing off each other in a live setting.

Four numbers also feature San Rafael resident and guitar legend, Carlos Santana, who often jammed with artists playing at New George’s. All four tracks are essentially relaxed jams, with “Blues With Carlos” extending over 17 minutes and “Bobby A Go Go” lasting over 18 minutes. So, yes, there is more than a hint of over-indulgence to these songs, but the tightness of the band throughout is more than impressive, particularly Witherspoon’s nailed-on drum grooves.

The CD does not contain any information on how the concert was recorded, but the sound quality is extremely impressive throughout, so kudos to producers Cecil, Martin Newman and Nick Duckett.

Parker died from a heart attack in 2013 at the age of 76, sadly under-appreciated. In the absence of any new recordings, New George’s San Rafael is a hugely enjoyable, high-energy and soulful release. Turn it up loud, grab a drink, and be transported back 30 years to a gig you will wish you had been at.

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

James Harman – The Blues Moose Session

New Shot Records

www.bluesmoose.nl

10 tracks/56 minutes

Recorded live at the Blues Moose Café in the Netherlands on October 31, 2018, we get to hear the sublime sounds of James Harman featuring Shakedown Tim & The Rhythm Revue. We lost Harman not even three years after this, yet his prowess as a musician and songwriter will live forever.

On this summer and fall tour of Europe, the dollar prevented Harman from touring with his regular ensemble. His fame preceded him everywhere he went, and musicians lined up to fill his needs. The cats here do a superb job with Harman, laying our some great grooves and providing more than ample support to this musical giant.

Shakedown Tim Ielegans plays guitar, add backing vocals and fronts the band on the fourth track. Ilias Scatch is on piano and Bart Stone is on sax. Dan “Toothpick” Blackwolf plays upright bass and Dennis Tubbs is on drums. The crowd is obviously into what they are hearing. Harman is a showman par excellence and he and the band are on fire for this show. All the songs are Harman originals except for Shakedown Tim’s cut.

The album opens with “She Could Rock Awhile,” a super shuffle with great piano, guitar and sax backing James and his harp and vocal work. They lay out some fine licks in support as Harman does what he could do best– entertain a  crowd. The harp was greasy and sublime, and his vocals were filled with his Southern charm that baked and grew in the California sun. “Crapshoot” follows, a jump blues with vibrant harp and solid piano and guitar. A long intro sets up the listener for Harman to enter the mix on vocals with his signature harmonious drawl. He guts out the vocal lead and the band aptly provides the necessary support.  His harp is beautiful, Tim’s guitar rings out nicely, the piano is excellent and the sax offers nice punctuation to the mix.

Next is “Got To Call My Baby,” a beautiful, slow blues with James growling with empathy as he testifies his need to get in touch with his baby. It’s somber and passionate stuff. Restrained support on piano and guitar adds to the feeling as the brushes stroke the snare with equal restraint. The guitar solo is beautifully done and the crowd responds to it appropriately. Harman has the audience firmly in his grasp as they sit in silence listening to his soulful delivery before going wild at the conclusion. Shakedown Slim wrote and sings “This Ship,” a cool slow blues that is well done all around. Harman’s harp is sublime, the piano gives us something to truly savor and Tim plays and sings with passion.

Up next we have “Leavin’ For Memphis,” a rollicking song that bounces and grooves along nicely.  This is classic Harman having fun and delivering another winning performance. He commands the stage as he sings; his harp is equal to his vocals, the piano and guitar add so much to mix and kept the crowd enthralled as did Harman. “Double Hoofback Growler” had more Harman doing his thang, giving space for Tim to play some mean guitar and we have James playing some wicked licks on his harp.

I guess the next one is a testimonial to some tight pants as Harman gives us “Squat and Bust Your Breeches.” As both an adult and child of ample girth, I can testify what it feels like to bust my breeches, and this vibrant instrumental pays homage to that.  Harman and company all play their hearts out here and delight the crowd at the club. Harman tells the crowd to get up and drink as the band and he continue their driving musical session. Harman asks his woman “Whatcha Gonna Do “Bout Me” when she leaves him. Her momma and sister let him know in advance, and he’s confronting her and tell her she’s not going to find anything better than him.  Cool stuff- great piano, beautiful vocals, vibrant guitar, resonant sax and delightful harp make this another winner.

Despite the advanced warning his woman’s family gave him in the last cut, apparently his woman’s family in this song ain’t on his side. He opens with some lonely, un-cupped  harp backed by pretty guitar.  The slow blues is oh-so-nice and pretty to listen to. Harman testifies and hold court and then delivers some equally pretty licks on his Mississippi saxophone. We get a little piano before Harman begins to testify again and then takes us home on his harp. The crowd is again quite appreciative. The set closes with a driving number entitled ‘Get Away Boogie.” The guitar is amped up, the piano lays out some barrelhouse stuff and Harman’s harp is driving and excellent in this great instrumental. Harp and guitar offer prolonged solos, and then about four minutes into it Harman begins to howl and moan out a truly slick lead vocal and finishes it off with some outstanind harp licks before the crowd erupts in delight.

Harman was beloved by his fans and contemporaries in the music world. We get to hear a superb showman at the top of his game live and doing what he does best. If you are a Harman fan, go get this. If you are a newbie to him and his music, it offers a great primer to get introduced to what this blues master was all about. I most highly recommend this album– it is a fantastic piece of West Coast blues history!

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.

Clifton Chenier was the undisputed King of Zydeco. He blended the traditional black French Creole accordion music of his youth with mid-century R&B and rock ‘n roll to create a scrumptious jambalaya of party music. The world continues to enjoy and rediscover his genius. The GRAMMYS gave him their Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 and this month awarded the Best Regional Roots Music Album GRAMMY Award to 2025’s Valcour Records release A Tribute to the King of Zydeco, which featured The Rolling Stones, Lucinda Williams, Taj Majal, Steve Earle, Jimmy Vaughan, Marcia Ball, Jon Cleary, David Hidalgo, his son C.J. Chenier, among other major stars. C.J. continues to be one of the major torch bearers for zydeco music. To further celebrate the centennial of Clifton Chenier’s birth, Smithsonian Folkways and Arhoolie Foundation released a comprehensive and well-deserved box set on February 6 entitled Clifton Chenier: King of Louisiana Blues and Zydeco. The gorgeously designed and exhaustively researched set features four CDs, 6 LPs, a 160-page book that includes essays, rare photos, and archival materials. There are 67 studio and live tracks, including 19 previously unreleased, spanning from the late 1950s through the 1980s. It was produced by Adam Machado of the Arhoolie Foundation. Some highlights include live performances at Austin City Limits and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. C.J. contributes an essay that details his own origin story and relationship with his father entitled “My Dad the King” and appears on three of the box set’s final tracks.

Clifton Chenier was first recorded in 1954 by talent scout John (J.R.) Fulbright on the Elko record label. As his recordings moved up the ranks to the Imperial and Specialty labels, he gained traction. “Ay-Tete Fee” cracked the R&B charts and he traveled the country on package tours that included Chuck Berry, Etta James, Ray Charles, Lowell Fulson, and other stars of the day. By the early 1960s however, Chenier was back playing small clubs and struggling to break through. In 1964, Chris Strachwitz, the head of Arhoolie Records, was invited by his friend and blues great Lightnin’ Hopkins to see Hopkins’ cousin play in the “Frenchtown” section of Houston. Strachwitz fell in love with the music of “Cousin Cliff.” They literally recorded their first side “Ay Ai Ai” the next day and they’d continue to work together for the next two decades. As Strachwitz told the GRAMMYS website:

“When it came time to make an album, I wanted to capture the sound of that Creole or ‘French music’ I had heard at that beer joint. But Clifton wanted to make it rock and roll. After some debate, we settled on a compromise: half rock and roll and half ‘French.’ But it was the ‘French’ two-step ‘Zydeco Sont Pas Sale’, with ‘Louisiana Blues’ on the flip side, that became a regional hit and sent Clifton well on his way to becoming known as ‘the King of Zydeco’.”

When he was 21 years old in the late 1970s, C.J. Chenier was invited to go on tour with his now-legendary father. He jumped in the deep end with the legendary Red Hot Louisiana Band as the saxophonist.

“He treated me just like one of the guys, it wasn’t no special treatment for me,” C.J. Chenier said. “I’m in the band and that was my position. I was learning. They all had patience with me because I didn’t know anything. I was playing piano in a funk band when I got that call and I hadn’t played my saxophone in five or six months. I was scared to death. I was just concerned about being on the road with a bunch of old guys. He gave me time to learn. It was a great experience for me. I actually thought John Hart was going to be there. I’m going to be the second sax player, right? I got there and John wasn’t there, it was just me, oh wow. John was like the best I ever heard in zydeco, that fat tenor sound, he was part of the sound.”

C.J. grew into the role on a trip with the band to California and the Pacific Northwest and had the time of his life. He reveled in supporting his famous father and spreading their joyous music to new parts of the country and world.

“He (Clifton) contributed a whole new style of playing the accordion. He came up with the music zydeco. French Creole music was already there, but the zydeco blues style, that’s all him. He decided to add all that stuff in there. He contributed a lot, the feelings, the grooves. The happy faces he made…just because the music was so happy.”

C.J. wasn’t exactly a city slicker growing up in the projects of Port Arthur, Texas, but he was from the next generation and brought that perspective. He could also appreciate that his father was the authentic article because of his own rural upbringing.

“That’s what he was, an old country boy, a cane cutter, a potato digger. He also lived the life of blues also. He combined all that together. That’s why his music was so infectious.”

Despite his status as an innovator and beloved entertainer, Clifton Chenier didn’t receive the same level acclaim of some of his contemporaries in the blues and rock ‘n roll scene in the 1950s and 60s, like Chuck Berry and Fats Domino, a fact that frustrates C.J.

“He should be on top of that game. From the bottom of my heart, I think my Dad should be right there with them in that category. Coming from Louisiana back then, which was not around L.A. or Chicago or big city places like that and playing music that people hardly ever heard, and sure not playing it on the radio. They still haven’t got that yet. It’s the greatest music you want to hear. That’s probably where he was stuck, it just wasn’t recognized. Traveling around, I guarantee you on the stage, he gave every last one of them a run for their money and that’s no joke.”

Clifton and C.J. weren’t the only Cheniers in The Red Hot Louisiana Band. Clifton’s older brother, Cleveland, on washboard (or rubboard or frottoir), was around since the beginning, riding shotgun and helping create that unique sound.

“Those two brothers came up with a sound that nobody had,” C.J. said. “The thing about it, is it was all natural. It wasn’t something they planned or something nobody could write down. It was him playing accordion and Cleveland playing rubboard and they just blended perfectly. You listened to it, it was like ‘wow’.”

One of C.J.’s favorite experiences with his father and uncle was when the Red Hots traveled to France and other French speaking countries in the 1980s.

“French was like his first language. When he sang the songs on stage, they loved the fact that that type of music was being played for them and then sang in a language they could understand. They went crazy for it. That was real fun to see, how people reacted, going crazy.”

As time went on, C.J. would be nudged into the spotlight due to his father’s weakening condition. Clifton suffered from diabetes, kidney problems, and other ailments that would often land him in the hospital.

“When I got in the band, he wanted me to play accordion. I tried the big accordion. I did OK with the keys, but the 120 basses had me really lost, so I wind up with a small accordion to figure out the bass side, then I got back on the big one. When my Dad got sick, my first gig was at Tipitina’s in New Orleans, he said ‘You’re gonna have to open the show for me tonight.’ I had never fronted the band or anything like that. It was cold turkey on the stage in front of all the people at that great club. That was my kickoff to accordion.”

When Clifton died in December of 1987 at the age of 62, C.J. played one of Clifton’s favorite songs, “I’m Coming Home (To See My Mother)” over his open casket at the funeral in Lafayette. It was a trying time, and the band was at a crossroads.

“When he passed, I asked the guys. We could continue or we could go our separate ways. I put it like that and they all wanted to continue, so we kept going,” C.J. said.

Terrance Simien is another musical descendant of Clifton Chenier. He has spread the gospel of zydeco and put his own spin on it for over forty years. He remembers that pivotal time when C.J. assumed the mantle.

“The band never stopped. C.J. was there at his daddy’s side every step of the way. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Then when he passed on, C.J. took the lead and kept it going and it’s still going today. My hat goes off to him, in how well he was able to make that transition. I know those times were hard at the end of his Dad’s life. He stuck with it every step of the way,” Simien said.

The original members of The Red Hot Louisiana Band have all retired or passed away, but C.J. has fronted the band since his father’s passing and has progressively integrated a new batch of Red Hots to continue the tradition of the band and the music. It’s true to the original sound and spirit of the band, but they also add some tangy elements like the occasional guitar solo to shake it up. C.J. has led the band for the last 39 years, which is longer than Clifton’s run. Their shows are partylike and very spontaneous.

“I get on-stage, I grab the accordion and I start playing whatever comes up next. You’ve gotta feel the vibe from the audience. I don’t use a setlist. I played with my Dad and we never had a setlist. He’d just go up there and start playing. That’s the way I know how to do it. I can’t stick to a setlist because the next song you have on that list might not fit the groove you’re feeling right now, so you have to mix it up anyway. I go up there and feel the vibe from the audience and we have a good time.”

Simien similarly stresses that zydeco is a necessary and joyful exercise.

“Zydeco music was made for people that had some of the hardest challenges in life. Being black in the South was hard enough, but being black and speaking French made it extra hard for our people, the Creoles. You had to have a strong, powerful, joyful spirit in the music to forget about all that and dress to the nines and get together and dance and be lifted up and forget for a little while the situation they were in. One of the most common things I’ve heard people say they get from the music is as soon as you hear it, it puts a smile on your face,” Simien said.

C.J. Chenier has had his own blues to overcome, including some of Clifton’s heirs suing him over lack of proof of paternity in 2014. Details of that resolution were not made public. Clifton always claimed C.J. as his son and the musical community continues to acknowledge the lineage.

So, the beat goes on. The Red Hots tour regularly, including a five-week run across the country this February and March. They have not recorded a studio album in over a decade, but several of their records with C.J. at the helm like My Baby Don’t Wear No Shoes and Too Much Fun are zydeco classics. He has made several appearances on other artists’ records over the years, and it hasn’t been difficult for him to crossover to other genres of music, given his early influences of funk, soul, jazz, and Motown. He appeared on Paul Simon’s Rhythm of the Saints album and “Born at the Right Time” tour. He also guested on the Gin Blossoms’ massive hit album New Miserable Experience, among other cameos. He has appeared at major venues and events such as SxSW, Austin City Limits, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, the Chicago Blues Festival, the GRAMMYs, and more. This year he is being honored by joining the Museum of the Gulf Coast’s Music Hall of Fame in the Golden Triangle. Additionally, C.J. performed and accepted a Folk Alliance International Lifetime Achievement Award for Clifton in January at the International Folk Music Awards in New Orleans. This award, the acclaim from the 2025 all-star centennial tribute album, and the 2026 Smithsonian Folkways/Arhoolie boxset are shining a spotlight and respect on both Cheniers and introducing zydeco to new audiences.

““I’m very, very, very happy of the focus on my Dad. He would have been proud of what has been going on right now, as I am. Seeing the people that participated and knowing that they all had a genuine connection to my Dad and the songs they sang and the feeling that came from the songs they sang and the way it was put together. It was pretty cool. I liked it and was happy to have my couple of inputs in there. I know people are going to dig the whole (box set).”

The box set is a worthy tribute to the King. The essays by Adam Machado, Nick Spitzer, and Herman Fuselier, previously unreleased photos, and individual track details provide a detailed portrait of Clifton Chenier’s life and music. Zydeco and Creole music live on. When asked about the present and future state of the music, C.J. was bullish on the scene.

“There’s tons of bands down south. There’s both styles of zydeco going on, what the kids are playin’ and what people like me are playing are still happening. All they have to go is go to south central Louisiana and you’ll find zydeco in every corner all the time.”

It’s hard to follow a legend, but C.J. Chenier readily accepted the throne and remembers the King fondly, “My father was the best.”

Writer Dave Popkin is a Music News Reporter for WBGO FM in Newark/New York. He is a regional judge for The Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge and is a singer in the NJ-based band, Porch Rockers.

Frenchie Moe – Hi Class

Lightning In A Bottle Records

www.moisette.com

9 songs – 42 minutes

Frenchie Moe was born and raised in France but moved to the USA at the age of 19 to follow her love of playing and singing the blues. She eventually settled in New Orleans in 2011 , forming her own band as well as writing and collaborating with legends such as Coco Ribicheaux and Walter Wolfman Washington.  Hi Class is Moe’s fourth album and follows in the footsteps of 2023’s Soul Full Tonight and 2022’s Way Down In Hustleville, both previously reviewed in Blues Blast Magazine.

Recorded “live” (the only overdubs being some keyboards and horns) at C.O.G Secret Lab, Harahan, Louisiana, by Lewis D’Aubin, Hi Class mines the same rich seam of Moe’s previous releases. Moe sings and plays guitar and is supported by some magnificent musicians, including Luther Kent alumni Bruce Elsensohn on organ and piano and Ward Smith on saxophones. Also appearing are Scott Perro and Mikey B3 on organ and piano, Stephen Mewold and Andy Villafarra on bass and Keith Hawkins on drums. The only self-written song is the funky title track. Otherwise, the covers range from the extremely well-known (“The Hunter” or “I Want To Ta Ta You, Babe”) to some lesser-known gems such as Big Kat Kaylor’s “Scattered” or Michael O’Hara’s “Trailer Park Love”. Kudos to Moe and her musicians for ensuring that even a song as well-known as “The Hunter” is given a fresh lick of musical paint and a new lease of life. Moe’s duet with Tiffany Pollack on this track is one of the highlights of the album, likewise her guitar playing on “I Want To Ta Ta You, Babe” is sublime.

Moe’s band are genuinely impressive, whether laying down irresistible shuffles on the likes of “Trailer Park Love”, capturing the essence of New Orleans in the re-working of Allen Toussaint’s “Happiness” or nailing the funky groove of “Scattered”. Moe’s self-written title track is a funky little number that sits nicely with the other songs on the album. Moe herself is a fine guitarist, laying down a series of nice solos as well as some lovely funky rhythm parts (“Scattered” in particular).

The only slightly discordant note is in relation to Moe’s voice, which is forceful but to this reviewer comes across as shrill and also oddly affected. No doubt in a live setting this is less of an issue but it does stand out in recordings.

Overall however, Hi Class is an enjoyable release from Frenchie Moe and definitely worth checking out.

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

Kara Grainger – That’s How I Got To Memphis

Station House Records

www.karagrainger.net

9 tracks/36 minutes

Hailing from Sydney, Australia, Kara Grainger grew up influenced by Stax Records and the sounds of music from Memphis and New Orleans . She made an album in Australia and then moved to America where she now has made four more. Beginning in Los Angeles and now Nashville based, she recently worked in Memphis with the Boo Mitchell Royal Studios. The album features the Hi Rhythm Section and is is being released under the tutelage of Red Parlor Entertainment Group. Her soulful voice and slide guitar work have been her trademarks. She tours the US and across the globe extensively.

In addition to Grainger, on this album are Reverend Charles Hodges on Hammond organ, Leroy Hodges on bass, Archie Turner on Wurlitzer, Lina Beach on rhythm guitar, and Candise Marshall, Shontelle Norman, Sharisse Norman, Jackie Bristow, and Louis Grainger on backing vocals, The horn section of Marc Franklin (trumpet),  Kirk Smothers (baritone sax), and Lannie McMillan (tenor sax) are joined on strings by Bobby Chase (violin and viola) and Alex Krew (cello).

Grainger opens with her cut “Texas Blues.” Funky and sultry stuff with lots of horns and organ, this song is a breathy and slick piece where Grainger’s guitar and vocals shine. The title tracks is next, a Tom T. Hall cut that Grainger transformed from basically a country song into something closely resembling Stax Records styled soul music. “Then it’s her original “Light Your Fire” where we get some ethereal slide guitar to listen to with more delightful organ backing her up. She sings with passion as she lays out some pretty slide for us to savor.

Next up is “Wake Up With You,” another slower, soulful cut. The song builds slowly in intensity as guitar and organ accompany her for a cool ride. The pace quickens for her song “Mama Said,” where she gets a more vibrant groove going; Kara howls out the lead vocals. Again we get some well done organ and she delivers a stinging solo on guitar. Ann Peeble’s “Love Played a Game” follows; Peebles is one of Kara’s major influences and Grainger does a nice job on the cut. Horns and guitar ring out sweetly throughout.

“Doodle Loop (World Is A Little Bit Under The Weather)” has a great funky groove going and Grainger does another nice job delivering a breathy and emotional performance. The horns work hard in support and her guitar again shines. Her song “Same Old River” showcases some more slide and guitar licks as Grainger sings forthrightly. The organ also continues to shine, a stalwart constant musical force in each cut. She concludes with “Lessons,” a final original track. Here we get acoustic guitar and strings as a change of pace. It’s a pretty ballad that winds along nicely as Kara emotes as do the equally impassioned strings.  It builds up to a nice finish, and one must compliment the restraint by all of the players as they deliver a very cool, low keyed conclusion to a fine album.

I think Grainger did a fine job on this new album and the production was spot on, too. Her guitar was solid throughout and I already noted the organ carried a lot of weight, too. The horns and backing vocalists all were quite good. We got to here the sounds made famous in Memphis with a very strong set of musicians who all showcased there skills. I enjoyed the CD and if your are a fan of Stax and Memphis soul then you will like this one, too!

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.

Purple Bluze – hey y’all

ATS Records

www.purplebluze.at

12 tracks / 56:28

There is a confidence that comes from a band that knows exactly who they are and what they are doing. With hey y’all, this confidence allows Purple Bluze to embrace their identity – producing a gritty, groove-soaked fusion of Southern blues and classic rock swagger that has been polished for a more modern sound. This makes for a disc that sounds lived-in, unpretentious, and unapologetically loud!

Purple Bluze is a well-seasoned trio from Graz, Austria, with members Harald Federer on guitars and vocals, Christian Pischel behind the drum kit, and Wolfgang Pucher on bass. Harald’s raspy, road-tested delivery anchors this record. His singing has a conversational quality – part storyteller, part preacher – that makes the lyrics hit the listener with conviction. Purple Bluze focuses on direct, relatable themes: hard work, lost love, redemption, and late-night freedom. They crank out rocking blues that does not pretend to be anything else.

hey y’all is the fourth album from Purple Bluze, and 11 of its 12 tracks were written by Federer, who also took on the producer and recording roles for this project. Mixing was handled by Bux Brunner at ATS records. Purple Bluze might work as a trio, but the listener will hear six guest artists that are featured on various tracks on the keyboards, drums, saxophone and bagpipes (really) to fulfill Federer’s vision for what this album could be.

This 56-minute collection leads off with “why”, and right from the git-go sets the tone with a warm, jangly driven guitar riff and a tasty guitar solo that sounds like it’s been marinating in the bayou. Federer’s vocal phrasing and tone will remind you of Lou Reed (in a good way). By the way – the songs are sung in English and there is no accent to the vocals.

“why” is follow by the slower-paced “my brain” with plenty of shimmer and reverb to the guitars, and audio proof that Purple Bluze thrives in the pocket. The rhythm section is the real deal! Bass lines are thick and melodic without overpowering the mix, locking tightly with drums that prioritize groove over flash. There are no unnecessary fills or indulgent solos, and all parts serve the song, and not the ego.

The lone song that Federer did not have a hand in writing is the traditional “house of the rising sun.” Wow, this was unexpected because it takes a different sonic path than The Animals’ iconic 1964 version. Rather than Eric Burdon’s slightly frantic vocals, we are treated to Harald’s consistently even and somber presentation, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. This modern update has a beautiful acoustic guitar ostinato overlaid with a Gary Moore-quality lead guitar part, and the Hammond B3 helps set the tone. “house of the rising sun” highlights the album’s good pacing. This slow-burning ballad showcases their emotional range. The instrumentation becomes more spacious, allowing the vocals to take center stage. It’s in these quieter moments that the band’s authenticity shines brightest. The restraint demonstrates maturity and an understanding that dynamics are just as powerful as distortion.

The mood lightens with “please don’t stop” which picks up the pace with chunky guitar and some Nashville-inspired guitar soloing for the listener to enjoy. As you will hear, hey y’all avoids the overly compressed sheen that plagues much of modern rock. Instead, it opts for breathing room. Guitars sound like amplifiers in a room rather than digital simulations. The drums retain a natural thump, and the vocals sit comfortably in the mix without being artificially pushed to the forefront. This organic approach complements the band’s aesthetic and reinforces their roots-oriented sound.

The production strikes a smart balance: it is clean enough to feel contemporary, yet raw enough to preserve the band’s roadhouse energy. This set does not feel like a collection of disconnected singles; it feels like a night at the club with Purple Bluze, from start to finish. The final product is an emotional arc from rowdy celebration to introspective reflection and back again.

Ultimately, hey y’all is not about creativity for creativity’s sake: it’s about feel. Purple Bluze understands that blues-rock thrives on authenticity, groove, and heart. On this release, they deliver all three in abundance. It’s an album that does not need deep analysis so much as it demands to be played loud – preferably loud enough so the neighbors can enjoy it too!

Reviewer Rex Bartholomew is a Los Angeles-based writer and musician; his blog can be found at rexbass.blogspot.com.

Tony O Blues – Free Life

Self-release

www.tonyoblues.com

14 songs – 56 minutes

Guitarist/singer/harmonica player Tony O was born and raised in New York City, and has been mentored by and toured and recorded with a large number of blues legends, including Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Victoria Spivey, The Legendary Blues Band and Hubert Sumlin. Indeed, it was Hubert and Howlin’ Wolf who bestowed the “Tony O” moniker on him back in the early 1970s. Free Life was recorded in memory of the great James Cotton, with whom Tony O played, toured and recorded in the 1980s and 1990s, and is a wonderful recording of classic Chicago-style blues.

With nailed-on support from a core band of Mike Severino (drums), Mitch Marcus (piano and organ), Angelo Olivieri (bass) and Bob Stander (rhythm guitar) together with contributions from Craig “Holiday” Hayes (drums) and Steven DeMieri (organ and piano), the musicians cruise through a range of definitive Chicago blues tracks together with four tracks written by Tony O himself. The album was recorded and mixed by Bob Stander at Parcheesi Studio with mastering by Gene Paul at G&J Audio, and the result is a superb sound and a series of great performances.

Free Life kicks off as it means to go on, with two Muddy Waters tunes, “Hard Day Blues” and “Rich Man’s Woman”, before the self-written title track, a swinging upbeat number with some nice BB King-inspired guitar lines. The cover versions are well-chosen, with one or two very well-known titles (Jimmy Reed’s “Honest I Do” and Robert Petway’s “Catfish Blues”) together with a number of lesser-known gems (Eddie Arnold and Cindy Walker’s “You Don’t Know Me”, perhaps most well-known from Ray Charles’ cover version, or Luther Johnson’s “Lonesome In My Bedroom”). Brook Benton’s “Ooh” is stripped back without the horns of the original and reinterpreted as a classic uptown shuffle. And even the perhaps over-played covers are given a fresh lick of paint. “Honest I Do” benefits from some superb piano from Marcus while “Catfish Blues” has a grinding, irresistible shuffle groove that inexorably builds the tension inherent in a one-chord song.

“Lonesome In My Bedroom” features some excellent interplay between harmonica and guitar, the instruments intertwining without ever getting in the way of each other. Earl Hooker’s “Blues In D Natural” eschews Hooker’s slide to play the entire song finger-style but is a lovely reminder of the beautiful melody that is key to the entire piece and Tony O’s guitar solo after the harmonica solo is a total gem. Indeed, his guitar playing throughout the album is absolutely outstanding. It is a joy to hear a player focussing on melody and tone and feeling rather than how many notes they can cram into a solo.  He is also a fine harmonica player, as you have to be to give Little Walter’s “Off The Wall” a serious run-through.

The album ends with two upbeat instrumental originals, “Tony O Guitar Boogie” and “I’m Queens Bound”, both of which enable the maestro to stretch out on guitar.

Free Life is a highly enjoyable release from Tony O.  If you love guitar-driven classic Chicago blues (and let’s face it, who doesn’t?), you will definitely want to check this album out.

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

Lily Sazz – What Just Happened

Self-release

www.lilysazz.com

10 songs – 45 minutes

What Just Happened is the debut album from Canadian pianist/singer/songwriter, Lily Sazz, a musician with a long resumé as a sidewoman and bandleader (including ten years as musical director of the Women’s Blues Revue Band) and, frankly, it’s an absolute delight. With a core band of Robin Pirson on drums and Carrie Clark on bass and special guests on nearly every track, this is sophisticated, modern piano-driven blues, which spans a wide range of blues and blues-infused styles while never losing its emotional depth.

The opening track, “Goodnight, Sweetheart”, is a slow, heartfelt, melancholic tribute to Sazz’s mother, whose final words to her daughter provided the title, and features some stunning slide guitar from Colin Linden, before “In A Hurry” comes roaring out of the speakers, kicking off with Jack Pedler’s cowbell (a nod to “Mississippi Queen”?) before Sazz’s jaunty, jazz-inflected piano perfectly complements lyrics that wryly address the frantic pace of modern life. Charlotte McAfee-Brunner’s bonkers trombone playing is a delight. The pace barely lets up with “This Train Is Rollin'”, a bluesy duet with Harry Manx, who also contributes a fine slide guitar solo while Scotty Bakalar adds subtle shaker.

Underpinning everything is Sazz’s superb, joyful piano playing and her resonant voice. She also wrote seven of the songs and produced the album, which was recorded and engineered by Mike Czech at Word Of Mouth Studio in Dundas, Ontario, mixed by Alfio Annibalini and mastered by Ron Searles. The tongue-in-cheek 60s’ soul homage, “Knack For That”, benefits from glorious backing vocals from Boreal (Katherine Wheatley, Tannis Slimmon and Andie Nussey) in addition to Bakalar’s güiro and cabasa.

The three covers fit perfectly into what is perhaps a surprisingly cohesive collection of songs. Jesse Winchester’s “Isn’t That So” highlights Suzie Vinnick’s vocals as well as her acoustic and electric guitar prowess. Vinnick’s solo blending into Sazz’s own piano solo is one of highlights of the album. Alan Parsons’ “Don’t Let It Show” might appear to be a curious choice but, accompanied only by her piano, Sazz digs deep to find the emotional resonance at the heart of the song. Steve Mariner’s harmonica soaks Sue Foley’s “Gaslight” in deep blues.

Sazz’s own “Better Stop” features the rhythm section of Scott Apted (drums), Wayne DeAdder (bass) and Mike Branton (guitar), with apposite lyrics that address climate change before the album ends with the totally mad and thoroughly wonderful “I Can’t Jam”, a song that was written just before it was recorded in which Sazz hilariously claims that she cannot jam because “my tunes are far from standard… I know the chords meander”.

Lily Sazz knocks it out of the park with “What Just Happened”. Superb songs, clever lyrics, crystalline production, joyful performances. Very impressive.

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