Nicky T And The Snake Charmers – Ain’t Wasting Time
Self-release
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.
