Jimmy Regal and the Royals – Well Boss
Lunaria Records
www.jimmyregalandtheroyals.com
9 Tracks – 36 minutes
The first thing about this band is to realize there is no one in the band named Jimmy Regal. The band consists of Joff Watkins on harmonica and vocals with Corin “CJ” Williams on guitar and Sammy Samuels on bass. The South London, UK based trio was formed about ten years ago and released their first self-titled album in 2017. They were quickly recognized as one of the best blues and root styled bands in the UK. The band’s fifth album, First and Last Stop, stayed at #1 on the UK Roots Music Report for several weeks, earned a top ten on the US Contemporary Blues Charts, and was nominated as Album of the Year by the UK Blues Federation.
This album is the band’s sixth release. The album was recorded live at The Temperance in Leamington Spa and clearly displays the blues band’s high energy performance in an intimate setting. The title track kicks off the album in high fashion with an original instrumental letting Joff establish the band’s direction with his powerful harmonica work before Sammy’s drums and CJ’s guitar join in. That is followed by a cover of “44 Blues” that had been around in various forms in the 1920’s but was first recorded by Roosevelt Sykes in 1929. The band’s notes indicate their version is based on Howlin’ Wolf’s recording of the song in the 1950’s. The 44 references the pistol and the song threateningly cites that “I’ve got some shooting to do”. Joff’s vocals also quickly establish his style firmly in the form of the original blues artists, unlike many of the current rock performers of similar songs. The band then moves into a cover of “Sonny Boy Williamson II’s 1956 song as he advises “You have a husband; I have a wife. If you start talkin’ that’s gonna mess up our lives. Please, please baby “Keep It to Yourself”.
Little Walter’s 1952 song, “Mean Old World” is the next cover. Joff says his performance on the harmonica is a tribute to the Little Walter and certainly lives up to that claim. Joff’s vocals again clearly throws back to the style of the original. The song concludes “Seems, like you don’t want me. I’m just an unlucky so-and so”. On Billy Bob Arnold’s 1952 song “I Wish You Would”, CJ’s guitar and Sammy’s drums gets thing moving before Joff’s harmonica kicks in. The song allows CJ to have a smooth solo before the whole band comes soaring back in and Joff pleads “Early in the morning ’bout the break of day, that’s when my baby went away. Crying and pleading won’t do no good, come back baby”. The band returns to another Little Walter classic, “You Better Watch Yourself” from 1954. Here the title is shortened to just “Watch Yourself”. he tells her “Well, the people are talkin’ all over town. Say you don’t love me, you’re gonna let me down” and he concludes “I’ve got my eyes on you”.
The band notes that this version of the traditional “St. James Infirmary” is based on a Snooks Eaglin performance of the song. The New Orleans’ guitarist recorded the song on his 1959 album, New Orleans Steet Singer. Snook’s version clearly delivers the street vibe of New Orleans. The band’s version keeps the slow blues of the original with CJ’s guitar retaining the New Orleans sound in their version. They get everything jumping again with “Got A Thing for You”, a cover of a song written by James Hunter. The album concludes with another original instrumental “Regal Alley” which gives CJ the opportunity to shine and permits a drum solo from Sammy. Some of the opening on the song sounds like a sousaphone being played, but CJ says he accomplished the sound by using a pedal played through his guitar.
Jimmy Regal and the Royals are very strong traditional blues band based on this live album. Joff’s harmonica work is constantly top notch with CJ’s guitar and Sammy’s drums providing great support and leads when the opportunity arises. A guaranteed winner for blues traditionalists.
