Mark Hummel – True Believer
Rockinitis Records 1004
13 songs – 50 minutes
One of the foremost harmonica players in the world for decades and – like the title infers – someone who cherishes the tradition laid down by his forebears, Mark Hummel has always played in a style with one foot in the past, but he’s a songwriter whose compositions are chockful of wry wisdom rooted in the contemporary world. And he delivers all that and more on this disc, which was recorded and co-produced by Kid Andersen at his award-winning Greaseland Studios in California.
An 11-time Blues Music Awards nominee and two-time winner as well as a Grammy nominee, too, Mark’s one of the hardest working artists in the business. When he’s not touring with his own band out of the Bay Area, you’ll often find him in the company of three or four true giants of the instrument for his epic Blues Harmonica Blowout tours.
It’s unusual for him to record without the company of his regular road band. Percussionist Wes Starr’s the only exception, holding down drums throughout. Many of the other participants are folks who’ve shared the spotlight with Hummel during his major events around the globe, that’s the case here.
The roster of top talents spans the nation. Californian Junior Watson, Chicagoan Billy Flynn and the East Coast’s Joe Beard share guitar duties with Bob Welsh, Brett Brandstatt and Kid on keys. Randy Bermudes and Kedar Roy provide electric and upright bass, Jack Sanford sits in on sax and Oscar Wilson of the Cashbox Kings and Lisa Leuschner Andersen make a guest appearances on vocals.
A mix of six clever originals and seven covers, “High Time for the Devil” kicks off the action with Oscar at the mic. A number that would have fit comfortably in the setlist of anyone performing in Chicago in the ’60s, but provides sly political commentary, too. It warns that Satan’s currently casting his spell. It comes in the former of lies, anger, racism, hatred, cruelty and more spewing from the mouth of a man who does whatever he wants to do with a Bible in his hand. Mark’s fills drive home the message atop a slow, but steady Windy City beat then explodes for the solo.
The pace quickens to a medium-fast shuffle as Mark finds he’s “invisible and might as well be dead” in “Ghosted,” expressing the feeling anyone experiences today when someone erases you from his social media world. His frustration is expressed by a brief break before Flynn continues the emotion on the strings. The theme continues in real life for “Headed for a Heartache,” which finds Hummel all alone and drinking because of the loneliness he’s feeling after a relationship has reached its end. Welsh’s runs on the 88s power the message mid-song.
Otis Rush’s familiar ballad, “Double Trouble,” gets a fresh coat of paint thanks to Hummel’s powerfully emotive vocals and skills on the reeds, and Watson’s work on the six-string is just as impressive throughout. “What the Hell,” a tune from Elvin Bishop’s songbook, follows, once again expressing concern about the current state of the nation, before the rapid-fire shuffle “Jackknifed” — one of three songs in this set that Mark co-wrote with his longtime bass player R.W. Grigsby – describes a traffic accident that’s delaying their return home from Las Vegas.
The early Fleetwood Mac burner, “Stop Messin’ Round,” and B.B. King’s “Broken Heart” get fresh overhauls before Hummel – who’s released an award-winning tribute album for him — covers Little Walter’s “Who.” The stop-time original, “Mr. Two/Thirds,” is up, describes a rival who’s part mouth and the rest a–hole. It gives way to “The Toddle,” an often-overlooked Walter instrumental, before the originals “Lil Electric Car” — a modern-day makeover that has the feel of something from the ’40s – and “Shufflin’ Days” – which features Beard on lead vocal and guitar – bring the set to a pleasing close.
Any album produced by Kid Andersen is a mini-masterpiece. Hook him up with Mark Hummel, who’s no stranger to perfect efforts himself, and you’ve got a winner on all counts. Buy this one today. You won’t be disappointed.
