Roxanne Potvin – The Way It Feels (Ruf Records).

French-Canadian guitarist/singer/songwriter Potvin is making a bit of a name for herself in blues circles and the fact that she has attracted Grammy Award winner Colin Linden as producer for her new album speaks volumes. She opens with A Love That’s Simple, a horn-laden R&B with strong vocals. Potvin fits in well with guest vocalist, John Hiatt, and this is an easy song to listen to; a great start. I Want To (Do Everything For You) is a slow, rolling blues that allows Roxanne to show her not inconsiderable guitar skills, ably backed by Colin Linden on Dobro. There’s a contemporary Country feel to the plaintive Hurting Child and she goes back to a classic Country/R&B/Rock n Roll fusion. This is bouncy and Roxanne certainly attacks the vocal. The gentle and magical La Merveille is sung in French and she is backed by the wonderful Daniel Lanois.

While I Wait For You is contemporary Jazz/Blues and expertly executed. The guitar work remains understated and Colin Linden’s production is classy. Your Love Keeps Working On Me is gentle R&B and although she does show her class on guitar, the song is pretty standard stuff. She remains in the R&B field for Say It before delivering a heart wrenching piano ballad on Don’t Pay Attention. Sweet Thoughts Of You is barrelhouse flecked Country with some nice Dobro thrown in. Let It Feel The Way It Feels is another piano ballad but with slide guitar added this time. This could be the type of song that could make her a serious contender to the like of Bonnie Raitt. Roxanne closes off with Break Away, a high tempo version of Del Shannon’s oft covered song. However, I can’t see why she chose to include this given that she is such a good songwriter herself. This is possibly the weakest track on the album and an unfortunate way to end what is, in fact, a very good collection of songs.

http://www.roxannrpotvin.com/
http://www.rufrecords.com/

David Blue.

Otis Taylor – Definition Of A Circle (Telarc).

Reviewers have a great life, new album comes in and new favourite artist emerges. I’ve had at least ten new favourites this year alone! The latest of these is Chicago bluesman, Otis Taylor. He’s released seven albums, before Definition Of A Circle, since returning to the music business after an 18 year break and this is the first time that our paths have crossed. Definition Of A Circle opens with the sustained guitar of Little Betty, provide by Gary Moore. The Hammond organ, operatic vocals and Taylor’s smokey voice supplement a track that has it all. The only drawback is the addition of acoustic guitar late on – I don’t think it was really necessary. The track listing on the sleeve gives a potted summary of each song and Taylor describes this as “A banjo player is seeing a married woman. The situation gets too hot and he decides to leave town”. Black’s Mandolin Boogie is not a boogie as such but is a hypnotic classy roots offering. It is also about the plight of the European Gypsies and inspired by the book, Princes Amongst Men. Rich Sharples and Nick Amodeo provide the mandolin. Looking Over Your Fence is another rhythmic, mesmerising song and he certainly pays his dues to the old-timers here. Charlie Musselwhite adds his stunning harmonica to this tale of wife and land stealing. Hurricane Katrina influenced They Wore Blue is pared down blues rock and is without percussion. Taylor has a style of his own and I am amazed that he is not a bigger star than he is. The U2 style guitar and elegant organ build the song up to a wonderful finish. Taylor shares the vocal with daughter Cassie on Few Feet Away. This very soulful acoustic lullaby has a telling cornet contribution from Ron Miles.

Something In Your Back Pocket opens up a noise-fest and has a spoken vocal on top. Jimi Hendrix influences abound. The piano-led My Name Is General Jackson follows and the cornet and cello backing are sublime. This is rootsy and contemporary at the same time and that is no mean feat!! Taylor returns to blues rock for Love And Hesitation and it is no surprise that the snappy guitar belongs to Gary Moore. Moore’s guitar work is simply stunning and sometimes means that Taylor’s voice is glossed over but don’t fall into the trap of thinking that he is not an accomplished vocalist. Maharaja Daughter is a tale of travel and the fusion of banjo, cornet and cello quartet adds up to a very strong tune. Just sit back and take it all in. Taylor tries a little free form jazz on Long Long Life but it just does not do anything for me and is the weakest track on offer. He is back to form on Mexican Cowboy as he pulls all of his influences together, adds drums by John Kelly and organ from Brian Juan and loops it all together in a J.J. Cale style. This excellent album finishes with Lifetime Of Freedom. This is either repetitive or hypnotic, you choose, and he manages to stay contemporary whilst remaining true to his obvious roots. The sentiment of the song will ring loudly with my fellow Scots; you can take my land, you can burn my house but you will never take my freedom.

Otis Taylor is my artist of the week but that could easily stretch to months or years.

http://www.telarc.com/
http://www.otistaylor.com/

David Blue.

Paul Orta & Friends – Paul Orta & Friends (Great Blues Recordings).

Paul Orta has had one of the best schoolings in the blues that you could think of. His formative years were spent in the playing company of such luminaries as Matt “Guitar” Murphy, Pinetop Perkins, Eddie Taylor and Robert Lockwood Jnr. You would expect a top class musician to emerge from that history and on the evidence of this new CD you will not be disappointed. It is a compilation of songs from four of his previous albums plus some additional recordings with various groups. Orta has made Europe his home for the past six years and he has connected with a number of European artists as well as finding time to record with some of Texas’ best musicians. The opening track, You Don’t Have To Go, has dual harmonicas (Orta and Lazy Lester) and these set the scene for this blues chugger. Orta delivers it with a lazy vocal and gives us a top class blues with a live feel, ably backed by “Uncle” John Turner on drums. Tear Drops keeps the pace slow and the wailing harmonica is the real deal. Hoochie Coochie Girl has injected pace and top harmonica again. He gives us Swing Blues and Rock n Roll on Robbing Little Woman, complete with lung bursting fills and bouncy delivery. Little Girl is choppy and shows a little frailty in the vocal. It’s back to the slow ones for Hey Mr Devil and this is a highlight with scything harp in a Chicago style.

Eyesight To The Blind is a famous old song and Orta’s upbeat vocal comes into its own. That is followed by an acoustic blues with a barroom feel in the form of Your Looking So Good. Bala Pradal’s piano and Orta’s harmonica compliment each other and the slide guitar from Karim Albert Kook adds so much. It is simple in its execution but sometimes he gets a bit overpowered. Ma Cherie (Sugar Bee) has Cajun influences as the title alludes to and the fuzzed vocal adds great effect. Boogie Til You Drop has Orta unleashing his harp again but the song is only saved by his prowess on the instrument. The raw Everytime is upbeat but Orta’s deficiencies as a vocalist start to show up here although it may have been cut in one take. The closer, I Don’t Want No Woman has a better vocal, provided by U.P. Wilson and is a slow, acoustic-based blues. Not my way to end an album but pleasant enough anyway.

Paul Orta is in the higher echelons of blues harmonica players and this is a great introduction.

http://www.great-recordings.com/
http://www.paulorta.com/

David Blue

“Uncle” John Turner – Texas Blues (Great Blues Recordings).

“Uncle” John Turner is the legendary blues drummer and Woodstock survivor that has played with some of the best. This latest album features old friend and guitar genius, Johnny Winter and is a fine return to form. Roll Roll Roll is an upbeat opener with slightly fuzzed guitar from Winter and good vocal from Turner. The album is called Texas Blues and that’s exactly what you get on Just A Little Bit, where Turner gives the impression that he will still be a very good live performer. Divorce Court is dramatic and has Winter’s snappy guitar and Drivin’ Wheel is a lovely rolling Texas Blues. His voice goes a couple of times here and the guitar is no more than functional. You’re Humbuggin’ Me is upbeat and another that will be a great live track. The band is on form and Winter serves up his best guitar yet. I Got It Made is excellent and They Call Me lazy is more quality Blues from a quality artist. The slurred harp is a great addition.

With the title Allons Dancez you would expect a little Cajun and you won’t be disappointed. Unfortunately, it is not the best that I’ve heard though. Tales of guns and infidelity are Blues staples and Shoulder Holster fits in well. Great guitar from Johnny Winter and a fair recompense to the man who convinced Winter to start a blues band. Hey Senorita is not the best track on offer and is a bit disappointing considering that he once starred alongside Stevie Ray Vaughn in Krackerjack. Winter adds some T-Bone guitar style on T-Bone Intentions, which is complimented by Turner’s laid back drumming. I-10 Hurricane Blues is delivered in an Elmore James style apart from the vocal. It’s short and sweet. The daftly titled Oooh Poo Pa Doo finishes things off and he does put a bit of grit into his vocal but it is the humour that comes over most of all. This is an artist having a good time doing what he does best. You would expect no less from a man of whom B.B. King once said "Man, I can set my watch to your time!"

http://www.great-recordings.com/

David Blue.

Anouschka – My Kind Of Heartbreak (Anoushka Pearlman).

Swedish born Anouschka Pearlman had a globetrotting childhood that took her to England, Germany, Thailand and the United States and this has given her a broad outlook on her music. She has fronted one of Sweden’s first all-girl groups, graduated from Berklee College of Music and worked as a music teacher with children from the ghetto areas of Boston. After returning to Stockholm from Los Angeles she found it difficult to come to terms with the difference in attitudes and My Kind Of Heartbreak was the result. The album opens with the harmless pop of Rainy Night In Chelsea. Her voice is certainly unique and may take a little getting used to. Venice Beach has a virtually spoken vocal and is a scathing indictment on the fame and fortune lifestyle there -- this is a good song and well sung. Good Girl Gone Wild highlights her lack of vocal range although the song is jazzy, bluesy and has a little country feel in there as well. She is trying to show her experience of trying to fit into small town expectations on this one. Man Like You is another with a blues feel to it and is a story of rampant love. It’s energetic and drummer, James Bradley Jr, comes out with some credit. The vocal lets it down though. She shows that she has the skill to write a good song and this is perhaps where her future lies as House Of My Father shows. The chorus on this tale of distanced family relationships is excellent although some of the lyric content is a bit dodgy. She finds her voice at last on Beautiful But Damned and this earthy blues may well be another indication for future direction.

The eponymous title track is an average piano ballad which has a country tinged emotional vocal and there’s a slight reggae beat going on in Gonna Get Over You. However, she doesn’t really manage to pull the latter off. Buried Alive is night club fare and Is This What Love Feels Like drifts off into the Jazz field. Her voice goes again on the Country tinged My Loyal Heart. Let’s See This Through is poor and, although it does improve slightly at the chorus, it just does not work on so many levels. The closing track, When R U Coming Round? has a 70s sit-com theme tune feel to it and is a lusty tale. As debuts go, there is room for improvement and there is only so far that the low budget excuse will go. The fractured vocals do work sometimes, the songwriting craft is there as are the live performances and if Anouschka gets enough airtime then perhaps she might just carve out a small niche for herself.

http://www.anoushka.net/

David Blue.

Kemp Harris – Edenton (Miles High Productions).

Pianist and vocalist Harris is something of an enigma and has a style all of his own. Quite literally, he is as unique an artist as I have heard for some time. Although he has almost four decades of song writing and performing behind him he has only just recently turned into a recording artist in his own rite. His second album, Edenton, begins with Sometimes, a spiritual, short and a cappella opener. Incidentally, the album is a journey back to his hometown of Edenton, North Carolina. Sweet Weepin’ Jesus is a moody, contemporary blues and an indictment on modern politics with backing vocals from The Holmes Brothers. He, and The Holmes Brothers again, keeps it slow with another spiritual blues and Day After Day highlights his smokey voice. He has obviously learned from some of the artists that he has shared a stage with such as Taj Mahal and Koko Taylor. There’s still no paced injected yet for the rolling blues of Donny Hathaway’s Tryin’ Times and I’m finding it hard to categorise him as the minimalist Ruthie’s confirms. There’s a slight backing vocal on this one in addition to some percussion from Jim Lucchese and Tom Dube’s production just allows the song to be as it wants to be.

Didn’t It Rain is traditional Gospel and superb with Mabie Marshall and Eleanor Mapp adding excellent backing vocals. Slide guitar is introduced to the authentic feel of Memphis Slim’s Mother Earth and although the volume is raised, the pace still remains on the sedate side. Miles Between Us is a painfully slow blues and Kemp gives us another facet to his voice. The crystal clarity here is reminiscent of Robert Cray. Lucchese’s drums only come in half way through as the tension builds. Willie Nelson’s Nightlife is an old standard, slowed down even more than the original. This has voice and Brian Verrochi’s bass only and is very, very good. The eponymous title track starts out with voice and piano and builds up into the type of song that Elton John cranks out with great regularity. Harris certainly likes to strip things back at every opportunity but he lets himself go on this one. The piercing backing vocal from The Holmes Brothers is one standout here. He finishes as he started and gives us a reprise of Sometimes. This will definitely leave you with the message of how hard life is and how weary we have all become. An interesting and different album.

http://www.kempmusic.com/

David Blue.

Various Artists – Rockin’ At The Barn Volume 5 (Dusty Records).

Swedish roots label Dusty have a knack of unearthing new talent and this series of albums allows them to showcase some of those artists. This volume opens with new band, Blue Sky Forever who gives us the rootsy Last Man On Earth. The vocalist has a deep voiced Kenny Rogers kind of thing going on. US singer Lazy Ike provides I’ll Be Damned, a jaunty, old style country song. Next up is the Rock ‘N’ Roll Torpedoes with Get A Move On Baby. This is a bit of boogie with horns in full flow. The vocalist may not be up to scratch but the chorus is good – short and sweet. Gary Cooper, no not him, gives us Troubles, quite literally. He has a strange vocal delivery and not the best on offer. He doesn’t do himself any favours on his other contribution, King. The faraway voice just doesn’t sell the song. Why they gave him two songs I don’t know. Alt. Country gets a chance with Tattoo by American band, High Cotton. Although it is fine the vocalist is just a little too American, if that could be possible. Their other effort, Dollar Store, which finishes the album is slightly humorous but does little. Lee Marvelous contributes the wonderfully titled Right Now Is The Time To Fall Apart. This is in the Country field again and he has a good band backing him with the pedal steel guitar in particular. He also has Jack And Joanne on the album. He treats this as Country verging into Rockabilly and has such an exaggerated vocal that you will want to listen again and again. English group Sadler Dale provides some energetic punk Country on Fingers In A Pie and give us a surprise hit in the process. They also deliver I’m A Lover Now in a jug band, Country Rock style, much akin to early Dr. Hook and very reminiscent of the Pub Rock era. This cements them as one of the best bands on offer. The Howard Way gives us modern Americana on Chantal Lane and there are those that may hear the influence of Steve Earle in there. Swedes, The Stu are another Country band and another good one at that. They could easily slip into the USA and pass for one of their own and their forthcoming debut album should be well worth hearing. I’ve reviewed Svensson & Dafgard’s album, Rootation, and consider them to be the class act on offer. Their contribution, Take Me As I Am, is rootsy and very catchy. Linus Johnson & Stillhouse conjure up images of Appalachian life on Miner’s Blues and this Americana is a favourite of mine. Contemporary Country is also featured and erstwhile Blue Sky Forever member Tomas Larsson’s other band Larsson’s Fly is well sung and has some classy mandolin playing. Back to classic Country for Irishman Jim Cahill’s House For Sale but it also reminds me of a slowed down I Knew The Bride by Dave Edmunds. Moonlight Wranglers contribute 77, a good example of energetic Country Rock. Broken Records offering is The Silver Plate and it harks back to the classic Country Rock of the 70s. This is a harmony-laden highlight. Wasted Away by The Turnpikes is another is the same vein but with a world weary vocal. They lose it a bit at the chorus but that doesn’t detract too much from their performance.

All in all, a very good sample of what is going on in the roots capital of Sweden.

http://www.dustyrecords.se/

David Blue.

Eleanor McEvoy – Suffer So Well (Moscodisc).

Eleanor McEvoy’s latest single, Suffer So Well, is gentle Irish/Americana with a world weary vocal and lovely harmonies. It’s a good song to sing along to when you feel the urge and can be aimed at those who show that they are suffering as well as those who can hide their pain. It is backed with a slow, pared back acoustic version of Marvin Gaye’s Mercy Mercy Me. This allows you to concentrate on Gaye’s lyrics and is delivered in the same gentle fashion as Suffer So Well. With these, she has confirmed her status as one of Ireland’s greatest exports and her reputation as a great songwriter. Both tracks are taken from Eleanor’s current album, Out There.

http://www.eleanormcevoy.net/


David Blue.

Billy Jones – My Hometown (Black & Tan).

Arkansas born Billy Jones calls his music Bluez and he is a performer who is interested in extending ‘Great Black music from the Ancient to the Future’. Nine of the ten tracks on offer are self-penned and he does encompass more than one musical genre. For example, Here With You is a slow groover to open with. Jones has a velvet voice and this tends towards Soul and modern R&B with understated guitar. Pull My 44 is a funky blues with snappy drums. It’s the age old story – don’t mess with my woman or I’ll shoot you; fair enough! He returns to the slow soulful feel with Right Now and shows that his voice really suits more than one genre as it just oozes all over you. Crystal introduces another style and this time it’s rock. The anti-drug message is well intended but the song really doesn’t get going. Never Let You Go, the only song on the album not written by Jones, sees him continuing to swap genres. This is modern Soul but it’s just a little samey. He stays on the Soul side for a pleasant offering, The Clown, before unleashing some Latin influences on the eponymous title track. This has the same lines as Crystal but it's Blues, it's Soul, they’re all in there. You Upset My Soul is a stuttering Blues from the top drawer and The Rumour is acoustic based modern Soul. However, the latter is not one of the better tracks on the album. He closes with Bluez Comes Callin’, a good finish that reminds me of Taj Mahal to a small degree. This is a curate’s egg of an album, good in places, not so good in others.

http://www.billy-jones.com/
http://www.blackandtan.com/

Various Artists – Great Rockabilly. Just About As Good As It Gets (Smith & Co).

This is the first of a series of four double CDs from Dutch oldies label Smith & Co covering Rockabilly, Skiffle and Rock N Roll. George Jones opens the 64-track marathon from 1955-1956 with the energetic Rock It. You expect energy from Rockabilly and you can also hear blues influences on this. Johnny Carroll contributes the frenetic Wild Wild Women and Crazy Crazy Lovin’ from 1956 but the latter is so fresh and it could have been far younger. He also gives us some good fun on Hot Rock as does Eddie Bond on Flip Flop Mama. Bond also gives us Boppin’ Bonnie and, although the lyrics were never the best, the beat is as good as ever. The enthusiastic Joe Clay gives us Sixteen Chicks and Ducktail and he shows just how much the Rockabilly artists enjoyed what they were doing. Clay is one of many subsequent artists to follow a formula and he does it very well. Curtis Gordon also found the formula but the addition of steel guitar on Mobile Alabama keeps it on the Country side of Rockabilly. Others who veer to that side of the genre are Jack Earl with Slow Down and Sid King with When My Baby Left Me. The anarchic Marvin Rainwater chips in with Hot And Cold and the classic early Rockabilly of Mr Blues. Skeets McDonald sings Heartbreakin’ Mama and You Oughta See Grandma Rock in what became Lonnie Donegan’s style. There are some good and some not so good and the uninspired Rockin’ Rollin’ Stone from Andy Starr falls firmly into the latter category. Another one for the not so good group is Sanford Clark with Lonesome For A Letter. The vocal has no excitement and it feels like he was just going through the motions. Unfortunately, his second offering, The Fool also lacks the passion required. Tommy Spurlin’s Hang Loose is only marginally better.

The rockabilly artists would sing about virtually anything and Charlie Feathers’ Bottle To The Baby is a good example. This is basic and raw but that’s what is was all supposed to be about. Feathers also contributes One Hard Love, which keeps him in the zone. One of the genre’s giants, Johnny Burnette, provides a rip snorter in the form of Tear It Up and provides one of the albums highlights on Train Kept A Rollin’. Sleepy LaBeef is another heavyweight who delivers a powerful performance in a Presley style on All The Time. Warren Smith’s Rock N Roll Baby rolls along well and Curtis Gordon is so energetic on Draggin’. Smith also contributes Ubangi Stomp, which has novelty value that thankfully doesn’t hide the very good song underneath. Roy Orbison makes a few incursions into the album and although Rockhouse is obviously an early recording, you can hear the voice coming through – not a great song though. Another of Orbison’s is You’re My Baby and this only has slight hints of the star to come. It does, however, build up into a great Rockabilly song. The third of Orbison’s trio of songs is the inanely titled Ooby Dooby which is actually a good song but is spoiled by the stupid chorus. His quartet is finished off by the energetic Go Go Go. It is strange why the compilers of the CD decided to give Roy Orbison more tracks than any other artist.

George ‘Thumper’ Jones gives us a rendition of the now famous Heartbreak Hotel and I’m about to commit a sacrilege by saying that this is every bit as good as the Elvis version. I’ve only got three words to say about Jones’ other contribution, How Come It, -- this is Rockabilly! Another famous song is Bird Dog and Don Woody’s version has one foot firmly in the Country genre. Another one from Woody is Barking Up The Wrong Tree and this is what Rockabilly is all about – energy and fun. Ronnie Self contributes Pretty Bad Blues and it’s obvious that he modelled himself on Elvis Presley although the song itself is pretty standard stuff. The great man, Gene Vincent, throws in Woman Love and this is trademark Vincent, mean & moody, showing that class always shines through. The class also shines through on I Flipped although it is difficult to pick out Vincent. CD 1 is finished by Be-Bop-A-Lula, another of the generations defining tracks. Roy Hall’s All By Myself only skirts around the edges of Rockabilly but Malcolm Yelvington really bops on the classy Rockin’ With My Baby. Yelvington also has Yakety Yak on the album but this is a country song and not a cover of the more famous song of the dame name. Jimmy & Johnny give us Sweet Love On My Mind, a country based tune with good harmonies.

The biggest Rockabilly star, in the opinion of many, is Carl Perkins and his contributions are Dixiefried, Boppin’ The Blues and the ubiquitous Blue Suede Shoes. He is a giant of the genre, performs to the highest standard and has the voice of an angel. Ray Harris gives us the energetic Come On Little Mama and it sounds like his guitarist’s hand is near to falling off. Where’d You Stay Last Nite is another good performance from Harris. The man who is widely credited as the person who started off the whole genre, Elvis Presley, has two tracks. He is unmistakeable on Baby Let’s Play House and throws in the bluesy, classy Mystery Train to finish of the second CD for good measure. He was what the others could only aspire to. Janis Martin is the only female to make it on to this compilation and although Let’s Elope Baby is pleasant enough, is it good enough for Rockabilly? I don’t think so. Maybelline with acoustic guitar is different but Marty Robbins version is not a patch on the Chuck Berry original or the scorching version by Pat Travers. Roy Duke’s Behave Be Quiet Or Be Gone has a country style title and is a country style song, complete with yodelling. There is a formula to this style of music and these early pioneers soon set the standard and Webb Pierce’s Teenage Boogie is an example of the formula. Mac Curtis chips in with the pretty standard Grandaddy’s Rockin’ and Billy Lee Riley gives us the equally standard Rock With Me Baby. However, Curtis shows that he is one of the better vocalists on That Ain’t Nothing But Right. Sonny West’s Rock-Ola Ruby is one of the better tracks but I don’t find it menacing enough -- there should be that edge. Buddy Holly is totally unrecognisable on Midnight Shift. Buck Griffiths’ Stutterin’ Papa is very rough but is nothing out of the ordinary. Country giant Johnny Cash also makes an appearance with Get Rhythm and this is sheer class. It shows Johnny making the bridge between country and rock n roll. Also included is So Doggone Lonesome which is instantly recognisable as Cash but hardly Rockabilly. Slim Rhodes is just not up to the task on Do What I Do but that is countered by Sonny Fisher’s Rockin’ Daddy, a fine example of how the genre came into being.

This is an important introduction to the birth of a musical genre but remember, you have to take the rough with the smooth.

http://www.smithco.nl/

David Blue.