The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band (feat Rick Vito) – Blue Again! (Hypertension).

The granddaddy of British percussion is back with a band that is only half filled with ex-Fleetwood Mac stars. Fleetwood is returning to his blues roots with this series of songs and he has never sounded better. Rick Vito’s Red Hot Gal opens this live album. It’s a standard electric blues played by top musicians and with slide guitar to the fore. Just try and stop yourself joining in. There was always going to be a big Fleetwood Mac influence on this album and Peter Green’s Looking For Somebody is given a wonderfully atmospheric treatment by Vito (another link to Fleetwood Mac, albeit a different incarnation). The energetic Fleetwood Boogie allows the pianist to let loose and another Peter Green song, Stop Messin Around has Vito carrying on his great guitar work. Rattlesnake Shake is much heavier than Green’s version and although I have never heard of Vito’s When I Do The Lucky Devil before, I have just stumbled across a wonderful boogie – absolute class! The inclusion of another Peter Green song, Love That Burns, continues that Fleetwood Mac link and shows that Green’s songs have become standards in their own rite. Rollin Man/Bayou Queen is a great shuffling blues with little discernable seams between the songs and has Vito pinpointing the notes as he does with such aplomb. There is not a lot to be said about Black Magic Woman. The two iconic versions by Santana and Fleetwood Mac have stood as classics for years and Vito gives a more than acceptable guitar performance. I Got A Hole In My Shoe has a bayou feel and the closing track, another played by Peter Green but written by Elmore James, Shake Your Moneymaker, epitomises the drumming sound of Mick Fleetwood. It has been kept true to the original and remains a good time boogie.

There is also a four track bonus CD which includes Albatross, a difficult song to better although Vito does make a very good effort to do so. Also included are the Shadows sounding Napuli Nocturne, The Supernatural (on which Vito may even surpass Green) and La Mer D’Amour which is pleasant guitar based Hawaiian style.

There was never any way that this album was not going to link up with the early incarnations of Fleetwood Mac and I’m happy that it does. In fact, Fleetwood dedicates the album to the other original members, Peter Green, John McVie and Jeremy Spencer. British music should never be without the drums of Mick Fleetwood and the songs of Peter Green.

http://www.hypertension-music.de/
http://www.mickfleetwood.com/

David Blue.

Various Artists – The Fine Art Of Music (CoraZong).

This is a 2 CD showcase of CoraZong’s current catalogue and has artists such as Peter Cooper, Krista Detor, Kim Carnes, Alastair Moock and Last Train Home displaying their wares.

CoraZong is well-known for their commitment to artists that are just on the edge of genres such as Americana, Folk, Blues and Country.

JP Den Tex gives us the sedate MOR The Lights Of Phoenix and ups the stakes with a tortured vocal on the piano ballad, Looking For Rosie. Alastair Moock has his usual quirky vocal on the standout live version of My Creole Belle. He exudes an old style class with excellent playing all around. He also contributes God Saw Fit To Make Tears, which is a gentle Americana with weary vocal.

The Mercy Brothers’ I Believe I’ll Make A Change tips its hat to Woody Guthrie whereas Waiting For A Better Day shows their country blues side. Peter Cooper shows he is a star on Wine and he has that great American voice so suited for the gentle country of Gospel Song.

Jeff Talmadge is on the gentle country trail with Wrong Train. He also gives us a live version of Wild And Precious Thing which shows him to be a most accomplished singer songwriter. Krista Detor’s dark Go Ahead & Wait has silver linings if you wait and More Than I Dare Say has more of her silky voice.

John Coinman throws in some Tex-Mex on Down In Nogales and a very good example it is too. However, he also gives us the strange You And Me, Oui which doesn’t really work. Inneke 23 & The Lipstick Painters gives us the topical Christmas Song. Also here is Elephant Crossing, a quirky song with bouncy fiddle and banjo.

Kim Carnes has the gentle brilliance of Goodnight Angel on which she has a great vocal partnership with her backing singer. She still has that husky voice from Bette Davis Eyes and she unleashes it on Still Warmed By The Thrill (live). However, this is so different from what she is known for as it is slow and acoustic. The excellent Last Train Home contributes Flood which is strong, moody country tinged rock. They also supply (Say) Won’t You Be Mine which has tremendous guitar and pedal steel with an old style country/bluegrass feel.

Patricia Vonne is raucous and rebellious on Rebel Bride (live in New York City). She also gives us some classic Americana on Joe’s Gone Ridin’ and this shows her strong voice and a top backing band. Jean Paul Rena & Terrawheel provide some heavy guitar R&R. It’s raw and just about ok but they show their blues and roots side on the acoustic demo of Blue Son.

As a sampler for CoraZong’s eclectic style of music, this could not be any better. I defy you not to find something that you like.

http://www.corazong.com/

David Blue.

Ruthie Foster – The Phenomenal (Proper Records).

When you name an album ’The Phenomenal’ then you’d better be able to back it up. Texan Ruthie Foster immediately dispels any doubts as she lays down her credentials on Cuz I’m Here, a sultry, soulful R&B. Heal Yourself has good vibes and more upbeat than the opener. She has a classic R&B voice (that’s original R&B). Fruits Of My Labor is a Lucinda Williams song and an emotion laden ballad as you would expect. You can just drift away on the back of this. Son House’s People Grinnin’ In Your Face is sung a capella and the power of Gospel is stamped all over it. Up Above My Head (I Hear Music In The Air) is the third cover in a row. This time it is Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Foster gives the song a smouldering contemporary feel.

She was one of the stars of the 2007 Cambridge Folk Festival and on this evidence it’s not hard to understand why. Harder Than The Fall is an uplifting spiritual and highlights Foster’s songwriting talent. I don’t think that the swamp noises on Beaver Creek Blues are totally necessary as this folk blues is strong enough to stand on its own. Special mention here to the drummer. Mama Said is an acoustic folk blues and Eric Bibb comes to mind as it has that gentle spiritual feel to it. Phenomenal Woman is sweet, powerful soul and Foster has maintained that voice throughout. Eric Bibb’s A Friend Like You is so smooth and she continues the gentle sounds through to the end on I Don’t Know What To Do With My Heart.

Ruthie Foster has a voice that will take your heart and caress it and this album will be a worthy addition to any collection.

http://www.proper-records.co.uk/
http://www.ruthiefoster.com/

David Blue.

Marc Ford & The Neptune Blues Club – Marc Ford & The Neptune Blues Club (Provogue).

This is Former Black Crowes guitarist Ford’s second album for Provogue and he has continued his growth as a songwriter and solo artist. On his last album, Weary And Wired, he was compared to guitar greats such as Clapton, Hendrix and Beck so no pressure there then! This new offering opens with Main Drain, which is an excellent way to start as it grabs the listener from the first note. Locked Down Tight is blues based R&B and shows how good a band that Ford has pieced together. This is not the best vocally but it will get you going. Freedom Fighter is a tough, blues based, slow rocker and Ford’s guitar work is just classic rock – a big stage solo. It’s very atmospheric with harp from Bill Barett and organ from Mike Malone playing their parts and Ford back on form vocally. The classy Go Too Soon is old time rock n roll and Don’t Get Me Killed is slowed down with a fuzzed vocal added. The latter is an earthy blues with stinging guitar and haunting harp, this time from Malone. Last Time Around Again is good old Southern rock, played well and Ford is on familiar ground here.

Spaceman is grinding, airy and grungy. It verges on prog rock and over 8 minutes of it too! Pay For My Mistakes has bluesy slide guitar and a great vocal as he ups the standard. Good harmonica from Barett. Shame On Me has a laconic vocal over a running boogie – good stuff, and Mother’s Day stays with the blues theme. This is very, very good and allows Ford to show all of his skills. Smilin’ is funky but weak in parts and at over 8 minutes it is a bit of a struggle. They close with Keep Holdin’ On, a slow, world weary Southern rock and this is what Ford is best at.

http://www.provoguerecords.com/

Chris Duarte Group – Vantage Point (Provogue).

Chris Duarte appeared on the scene in the early 90s and wowed industry insiders at the South X Southwest convention. Since then he, and his band, has built a reputation as one of the best blues rock guitarists around. From his debut album for Silvertone Records to last years commercially and critically acclaimed Blue Velocity, he has consistently raised his standard, album by album. The latest in that line is Vantage point, which opens with the high impact The Best I Can Do and this boogie follows on perfectly from Blue Velocity. Satisfy is another no nonsense blues/boogie with a very deliberate beat. It has a good time feel much in the Dave Edmunds style. The instrumental, Slapstak, has funky guitar and bass peppered by the drums of Jeff Reilly who has replaced Damien Lewis since the last album. The removal of vocal duties allows Duarte to really display his true guitar virtuosity. More Boogie is a title that should be easy to follow and the song itself has no airs and graces. Duarte impresses with his fleet fingered guitar. Troubles On Me is a slow Chicago blues with an explosive solo and is perfect for the power trio format.

They crank up the speed for Let’s Have A Party, another impact boogie but the one disappointment of the album is The End Of Me And You. It’s funky but it just doesn’t really hit the mark although you cannot fault Duarte’s guitar playing. They are back on form with Blow Your Mind, which is a grinding rocker. She Don’t Live Here Anymore is heavy rock and has one of the better vocals too. Pounding drums from Reilly lead to an increase of speed after a couple of minutes and the band lets loose for a good old fashioned rocker. Babylon is a Guns N Roses/Black Crowes amalgam with a little Aerosmith thrown in for good measure. What that produces is an expansive track with top guitar work from Duarte. They close with an instrumental, Woodpecker, and that’s never a good idea in my book. However, this gives Duarte a showcase for his guitar and bassist Joseph Patrick Moore, Dustin Sargent’s replacement, is given a chance to shine. His easy style comes through very well and Duarte’s guitar is as fast as Woody himself at times. There are extended versions of Blow Your Mind and Troubles On Me added as a bonus to finally close things off.

Duarte has continued his streak of ever improving albums.

http://www.thechrisduartegroup.com/
http://www.provoguerecords.com/

David Blue.

Peter Cooper – Cautionary Tales (CoraZong)

Cautionary Tales is the debut album from East Nashville singer songwriter Peter Cooper. There is a bright opening in the form of the nu-country Boy Genius and All The Way To Heaven is world weary but will be a crowd pleaser with its singalong style chorus. There is some excellent pedal guitar from the legendary Lloyd Green as Cooper tips his hat to the old timers. The word legendary is over used these days but in Green’s case it is more than justified. Just listen to his contribution to The Byrds’ Sweetheart Of The Rodeo amongst many others (he has played on more than 100 number 1 country records). Cooper’s laconic style is coming through in spades on tracks such as Wine. It’s a simple execution of a topic well discussed and has a pleasant feel, just like the feeling after a bottle of wine by coincidence!! Couple Of Lies is gentle but again covers a harder topic whereas Take Care is a bit more upbeat, musically. This fractured country gets a bit grungy at times with harp from Todd Snider and electric guitar from Cooper.

Mission Door has the addition of none other than Nanci Griffith on vocal along with Snider and Fayssoux McLean with Jen Gunderman’s accordion in the background – a masterpiece. They Hate Me is a little bit of boogie and this is about as excitable as Cooper gets. He is a very good social commentator and manages to raise a few smiles during the album. 715 (For Hank Aaron) is pure Americana. It’s about baseball, how more American can you get? Lyle Lovett comes to mind throughout and on this track in particular.

Take Cooper’s advice and take caution on the topics of his songs but there is no need to be so wary of the man or his music.

http://www.corazong.com/
www.myspace.com/petercoopermusic

David Blue.

Anthony Gomes – Music Is The Medicine (Ruf).

Young American guitar slinger Anthony Gomes serves up a dozen self-penned songs on an album co-produced by the legendary Jim Gaines. The eponymous title track is a funky opener with strong guitar. Gomes’ gruff voice is complimented by the female backing and it’s got it all – it’s the cure! Bluebird is a very strong song and Gomes shows that he is an all rounder on this soft rock offering. Now She’s Gone is more of the funk with vocal and over laden heavy guitar to the fore. War On War continues with heavy, searing guitars and I can tell you one thing – Gomes is certainly not quiet! The obligatory ballad arrives in the shape of Love Is The Answer and it is better than the average fare served up on the normal rock album. Gomes slashes his guitar through the middle.

The classy Everyday Superstar is another funk fest with the keyboards the funkiest. Testify is blues influenced and has a heavy rock feel that is blended with gospel – good Southern rock. This is a stormer as Gomes unleashes a flurry of notes. He takes a breather on Waiting For A Sign, an Elton John style ballad. However, this gives him the chance to show that he is as strong a singer as he is a guitarist. His songwriting skills are not too shabby either as his songs have a way of endearing themselves to you. There is a clever thought behind the lyrics of the blues based What If? whereas Run is a straightforward, heavy rock based grinder. When The Right Woman Does You Wrong is a blues title for sure and a blues is what you get. It is slow and moody and Gomes lifts you up and drops you like a stone in what is an excellent finish to a strong album.

http://www.anthonygomes.com/
http://www.rufrecords.de/

David Blue.

Pat Travers Band @ The Ferry, Glasgow 24/10/2008.

With a flourish, Pat Travers arrived on stage and announced “I’m Pat Travers, this is my band, and we’re here to kick your ass tonight”. After this, they launched into a superb version of Life In London and had the audience in raptures thereafter. Pat was in Glasgow to showcase his latest album, Stick With What You Know. Live In Europe, and confirmed that he is still a live act of some standing. He also managed to throw in Ask Me Baby from his eagerly awaited next album but this won’t be released until next year. If this track is anything to go by then the new album will be extremely good. For those of a Pat Travers persuasion, the evening followed a familiar path with Crash And Burn, Heat In The Street, Snortin’ Whiskey and Boom Boom (Out Go The Lights gleaned from past albums. He also showed his blues side with excellent versions of Red House and If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day (a Robert Johnson song not tackled by many). The blues connection continued in the encore with a scorching Statesboro Blues. Despite being a fan of Pat Travers for some years, this is the first time that I have seen him play and I was not disappointed. He has lost none of the vitality in his playing and he currently has an excellent band of Sean ‘The Cannon’ Shannon (drums), Kirk McKim (guitar) and Rodney O’Quinn (bass). These three give Pat the base on which to build and they form such a tight unit.

If you haven’t seen the Pat Travers Band yet then don’t leave it as long as I did!

David Blue.

An after show interview with Pat follows.

Twilight Hotel – Highway Prayer (CoraZong Records).

Twilight Hotel is Canadian duo Brandy Zdan and Dave Quanbury who play a multitude of instruments between them and they also show their songwriting abilities on this album of 12 original songs plus one bonus. They open with Viva La Vinyl, which shows an early indication of the good vocal harmony that the pair produces. Their dual fragmented guitars set up the song very well and make it strangely likeable. No Place For A Woman is slow, rhythmic Americana and Impatient Love, with Colin Linden on guitar, is acoustic and remains very slow -- this nu-country song shows how well they work together. The eponymous title track is music direct from the American heartland and very strong. Slumber Queen has jangly guitars much in the style of Chris Isaak and it harks back to the 60s whereas Iowalta Morningside is pounding Americana with menacing overtones.

The Ballad Of Salvador And Isabelle has added accordion but the pleasant tune hides the sad tale of illegal Mexican immigrants. Pure Americana and Richard Bell provides telling organ backing. This album was the last recording that he ever made and capped a career of some 400 albums. Shadow Of A Man is a strange one with its Latin execution but a few listens will confirm that it is a grower. The Critic is a bit ragtime and a bit jazz. It works ok but it is just missing something. If It Won’t Kill You is barrelhouse style Americana. There is a St Louis feel to Sometimes I Get A Little Lucky, which is slow and heartfelt and is one of a few songs on the album that could become future standards. Sand In Your Eyes is slow again and Brandy Zdan takes on most of the lead vocal. This is lyrically excellent and is very much in the vein of Krista Detor. Fire is played on slide guitar and piano. It is hard to categorise and a slightly strange finish. However, a quick read of the album sleeve tells you that Colin Linden and Richard Bell played this together and is just two friends playing together and catching a groove. One thing that can be said is that Twilight Hotel is not orthodox in any way. It’s an instrumental finish and not one that I would have chosen but they do keep you guessing right to the end.

http://www.twilighthotel.ca/
http://www.corazong.com/

David Blue.

Paul Orta & Tonky De La Pena – Pawn Shop Blues (Great Recordings).

Paul Orta (Port Arthur, Texas, USA) and Tonky De La Pena (Madrid, Spain) arrived at the studio with a Hohner harmonica and a Martin D28 guitar in hand, sat down and recorded Pawn Shop Blues. There were no amplifiers used and it harks back to the old Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee format. The eponymous opener is a slow Delta blues and is a great start to the album. Muddy Waters’ Catfish Blues features slide guitar and Tonky takes over on the vocal. Talk To Your Daughter is a full harmonica blues with Orta back on vocal. However, I don’t think that the dog noises are necessary on this JB Lenoir song. Ponme Otro Whiskey is sung in Spanish but I’d have preferred the Scottish spelling of Whisky. Otherwise, it’s a standard guitar and harp blues. Boogie The Woogie is a lung bursting stunner and the classic Jimmy Reed song Bright Light, Big City has piercing harmonica from Orta.

Voodoo Mama is in Spanish again and is strange yet compelling. Willie Dixon’s Bring It On Home has more echoes of McGhee & Terry and Feel So Bad is a classic guitar and harp blues, written by Lightning Hopkins. Oh Susanne is more of the same, only slower and the last of the Spanish songs, Vaga Bundo, is upbeat. It is appropriate that the final track is Tribute To Sonny Terry and it does exactly what it says on the tin. It is an excellent tribute and a wonderful end to a thoroughly entertaining album.

http://www.great-recordings.com/
http://home.hetnet.nl/~porta/index.html

Richard Earl – One More Song (Great Blues Recordings).

Richard Earl has shared a stage with great artists such as Little Milton, ZZ Hill and Johnnie Taylor and has forged a successful career with his band, The R&B House Rocka’s. One More Song opens with Henpecked, which has a world weary vocal as you would expect. Come on boys, we’ve all been there. Prominent guitar from Jack Edery and organ from Chris Thibodeaux make for a solid start. Comin’ Back Baby is pure soul and Earl has the classic type of voice for this slow love song. I’ll Be Right Here remains in the soul genre but is more upbeat than its predecessor. My only complaint is that it isn’t imposing enough. Back to slow soul for Baby It’s You and as heartfelt love songs go, it’s ok. Bad News means the blues and Thibodeaux gives it some in the middle. The band plays everything with soul but Earl’s vocal does desert him a bit on this. Blues Over You is a more straightforward blues yet is one of the best tracks and shows that great results can be had when you play it simple. He stays with the blues for His Old Lady And My Old Lady and this tale of bigamy is a slow burner. There is not a lot of pace about this band and Too Many Lovers confirms this. Having said that, the song will have a hypnotic effect on you. One More Song is pretty standard stuff but the excellent closing track, Riding All Night, is the sort of down & dirty blues that I wish he had provided more of.

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

David Blue.

Walter Trout – The Ferry, Glasgow 03/10/2008.

From the opening bars of Buddy Holly’s Not Fade Away, Walter Trout showed why he is considered to be in the world’s top 10 guitarists. He is no stranger to the stage at The Ferry, this being his 10th visit in as many years and he is totally comfortable with the Glasgow crowd. With a set peppered with outstanding tracks from his latest album, The Outsider, Trout and his band, Sammy Avila on keyboards, Rick Knapp on bass and the newest member, Michael Leasure on drums, ripped up the evening. Walter’s voice continues to grow as does his songwriting, as he gets older and his guitar playing is probably the best that it has ever been. This was exemplified by his impromptu recital of Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, which was note perfect.The introduction of Andrew Elt on a couple of tracks gave an added dimension to the vocal performance and when Sammy Avila took over lead duties he proved he is no mean singer himself. I’d like to think that there is a passion for the blues in Scotland and Walter Trout certainly brought that out of the crowd at The Ferry. He certainly got the crowd on his side with a quick version of Scotland The Brave. However, in an evening of standout songs, Child Of Another Time and The Next Big Thing were the true highlights.

Post-show interview with Walter Trout @ The Ferry, Glasgow 03/10/2008.

DB – What brings you back to Glasgow again and again?
WT – A van! (much laughter amongst those in attendance)
DB – Very funny, but is it something about Glasgow or The Ferry, in particular?
WT – You know something, it’s just a great audience. You know, you could feel it tonight. You could feel the energy and the enthusiasm of the people. The first time that I played this city was 17 years ago at King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut and the people went completely nuts and I thought, this is a great city. Every gig is like that.
DB – Glaswegians are a very hard audience to please but you seem to manage to win them over with no problem.
WT – You know, I’ve never had a problem pleasing them from that first gig in King Tut’s, man.
DB – If Glaswegians don’t like you, they’ll tell you!
WT – That night they went nuts and the manager of the place came out to tell us to stop playing because he thought that they were going to tear the club down. We did about four encores that night.
DB – If they had torn the club down then Oasis would never have been discovered.
WT – Yeah, ‘cause that’s where they got discovered, right?
DB – So the new album. It’s been out for a couple of months?
WT – Yeah.
DB – The title, do you feel like an outsider?
WT – No, I didn’t write that about me. I wrote it about a relative of mine who shall remain nameless, but who I saw at a party at my house for family and friends. I saw him standing across the room and everyone else was having a good time and relating. He was standing by himself and I could see sadness in his eyes. I could see that he felt uncomfortable in social situations and he is still having trouble making friends, a lot of trouble, and this was for him.
DB – Are you pleased with the reaction to the album?
WT – It’s been great.
DB – It’s been high in the blues charts in Europe.
WT – Yeah, and in the States it debuted at number 3 and stayed in the Top 10 for, I think, about 8 or 9 weeks.
DB – Very impressive. You once said and I’m going to quote here, “the blues should not be in a museum”. Do you think that the genre has expanded, say in the last 10 years or so?
WT – It depends on who you listen to. If you listen to people who are on a mission to keep it in a museum, they’re certainly not expanding it and I don’t have a problem with them. What they do is valid; it’s just not what I’m interested in doing. I want to push the envelope a little. I want to feel free of any musical constraints like it has to fit like this or it has to sound like this and that’s why that one verse on Child Of Another Day is about blues purists – “Here comes the guy I’ve met a million times before. He tells me to slow it down, he says remember less is more. He doesn’t understand it, it don’t sound just like it should. It don’t fit his preconceptions so it can’t be any good. But I just ignore him, I don’t care what he said”.
DB – Truer words never spoken. So what do you think of the young pretenders just now, like your stable mate, Joe Bonamassa?
WT – I think he’s great man. I think he’s carrying the torch for this stuff. I think it’s important that there’s young people carrying it on and he’s definitely somebody who is concerned with taking this to a new place, modernising it a little bit, not being stuck in the past, you know. So, I respect him for that, a lot.
DB – I’ve seen Joe twice now and both times he blew me away completely. He is definitely pushing the envelope. He is the young master but he is following after you. I think that you have influenced Joe Bonamassa in a big way.
WT – I think I probably have too and I think that’s kind of evident, you know, and I’m very, very happy if that is true because I feel like I couldn’t have had a better person as a protégé. He’s definitely going his own way with it too. He’s been influenced by a lot of people, I may be one of them, but he is definitely on his own path and God bless him and more power to him. He’s carrying the torch.
DB – Your instrument is the Strat, as is mine although I play very badly. Would you consider using another type of guitar? Could you get that sound from another guitar?
WT – Well you won’t get that sound but on my new album, on a song called You Can’t Have It All, I played a 1962 Gibson 345 through an old Fender Bassman amp and got an old Freddie King kinda sound out of it. But playing live I just like, I just know the Strat. I know how to control it and I’m completely at home with it.
DB – So, how is the touring schedule? Is it hectic just now?
WT – It’s as my old album says, it’s relentless.
DB – And more power to you for that. When do you get a break?
WT – I’m going home in two and a half weeks to vote and I’m home for nine days. Then I come back over and I tour through mid-December and then I’m basically home through March.
DB – So you’ll be back to Glasgow sometime?
WT – Probably the same time next year. It’s kind of a tradition now.
DB – Very much so, the last ten years or so.
WT – Yeah, and always seeming in October.
DB – Taking you back to your Bluesbreakers days. Do you still see any of the guys?
WT – I see them all the time. I get up and play with John Mayall when we play at festivals and I’ve gotten up with Coco and his band and he’s got up and played with my band. We send each other emails all the time. Coco sends me like lots of crazy videos and stuff of people.
DB – The camaraderie is obviously still there so it must have been some band to play in.
WT – It was a hell of a band and I may be biased but I still think in the last thirty years, I think that was Mayall’s best band. When he had me and Coco as duelling guitarists we used to push each other every night.
DB – Yes. I’m a big Clapton fan but it is always better with two guitarists.
WT – Well, yes I think it was for John because he would encourage competition between us and he would get fiery shows every night. It was a duel.
DB – Many people think that Thin Lizzy brought out the dual guitarists but you did it many years before.
WT – Yeah.
DB – Obviously, Sammy is playing tonight and I was speaking to him earlier and he said that he played on the album but John Cleary also played on parts too.
WT – Jon Cleary?
DB – Yeah, I recently reviewed his latest album, Mo Hippa.
WT – Yeah, Jon Cleary’s album was also produced by John Porter, I believe, because actually while we were in the studio John Porter was playing me some cuts and he said “listen to this, I just mixed this for Cleary”. He is an incredible player.
DB – Fantastic.
WT – And I’m glad you call him Cleary. A lot of reviewers and people who have been writing about the album they call him Clearly and I’m like, C’mon.
DB – No, I can read.
WT – (laughter). Yeah, that’s what I mean.
DB – I’ll let you get your food, one last question Walter. You’ve shared a stage with many, many people. Is there anyone that you have not shared a stage with that you would wish to do so?
WT – Yeah, before I die if I could get up and play a song with the Rolling Stones I could die happy. That’d be it.
DB – I’ll arrange it with Mick. I’ll get it sorted out.
WT – Please do. There you go.
DB – Walter Trout, thank you very much.
WT – Thanks Dave.

http://www.waltertrout.com/

David Blue.

Boo Boo Davis – Name Of The Gane (Black & Tan).

Boo Boo Davis is a true Delta bluesman and one of the last of his generation. A poor childhood meant he couldn’t learn to read or write not that has not kept him down. His latest album for Dutch based Black & Tan opens with Dirty Dog which is, as you would expect from the title, a grungy blues. The pounding beat from drummer John Gerritse is a sign of things to come. I’m Coming Home is even more grungy than the opener. It’s done in a John Lee Hooker style with a fuzzed vocal and added harp from Davis. This highlights how powerful Boo Boo is as a singer. There is some good advice on Stay Away From The Casino and he starts to funk things up a little with some pace also injected. However, the repetition made me take a little time to warm to it. Want Nobody Tell Me How To Live My Life is a more straightforward harmonica and guitar blues and Boo Boo finds a groove on Tryin To Get Ahead. The Chicago blues of the eponymous title track has a prominent harmonica and a beefy vocal.

Who Stole The Booty is a contemporary blues with overcharged guitar and harp. Believe me, this riff will work its way right into your brain. Why You Wanna Do It is more of a soft rock song and although slightly out of kilter with the rest of the album, it does have a very good vocal. Lonely All By Myself is a slow Chicago blues and more than meets the standard with its deep pulsating bass line, even though he doesn’t use a bass player! It’s A Shame is an upbeat blues with harp to the fore. I just love the energy! Throbbing drums herald I’m So Tired and when the world weary guitar and spoken intro join in then we have a song on our hands. It’s conducted at walking pace throughout and Davis produces one of his best vocals. Hot Foot is a funky grinder and he closes with St Louis Woman, loosely played in the St Louis style. He seems to like the fuzz effect on his vocal and he could be accused of using it too much. Nevertheless, this is a great finish to a top class album.

http://www.black-and-tan.com/
http://www.booboodavis.com/

David Blue.

Matt Andersen – Something In Between (Own Label).

This is Matt Andersen’s first full length album recorded in the UK and he has used Eric Clapton’s post-Cream band (Norman Barrett on guitar, Dave Markee on bass, Henry Spinetti on drums and Dan Cutrona on keyboards) to do so. The big Canadian is also a prolific tourer and has shared a stage with Little Feat and Randy Bachman to name but two. Come By is unashamedly country but with a little Gospel thrown in. The eponymous title track continues with the country theme, acoustically this time and with a characteristically strong vocal. Working Man Blues is back to electric and is a storming blues. There is nothing flamboyant here but it is full of innuendo such as “I’ll be your mechanic, I’ll make your motor run”. He’s swapping electric with acoustic with aplomb and So Gone Now is the real Matt Andersen. Solemn voice and a touching song shows that simple is often best. Stay With Me is not The Faces classic but a country rock effort that is not unpleasant. Better Man Blues is a smooth rolling blues that drips off the tongue and produces some of the strongest guitar work so far.

Lonesome Road sounds like it should be a country song and you won’t be disappointed. It is fast paced and extremely good. John Fogerty’s Wrote A Song For Everyone is folk rock that verges on country and manages to sound like The Band at their height. Broken Man is so heart aching and shows what a consummate songwriter Andersen is. It is just him and his guitar and this is him in his element. Tell Me is country boogie, good time music with a big guitar sound. How I Wish is very, very good country and Baby Come Back Home is a jazzy blues with smooth guitar lines. Bold And Beaten is from the album taster and has that smoky tone to his voice when he needs it. He adds strings to make a great gentle folk/country crossover and an excellent finish to an excellent album..


http://www.stubbyfingers.ca/
David Blue

Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen – Mo Hippa Live (FHQ).

Erstwhile Bonnie Raitt pianist, Jon Cleary also has a burgeoning solo career ably backed by the wonderfully named Absolute Monster Gentlemen. Cleary is much respected in blues, soul and funk circles and this live album confirms that status. The smooth and funky Go To The Mardi Gras is an updated Professor Longhair song with a great bass line from Cornell Williams. Cleary has a silky voice that just oozes over you and the song is just simply New Orleans summed up in 6 and a half minutes. They step up the funk on People Say and provide ample vocal harmonies at the same time. Jon Cleary is, as we know, an excellent piano player and his tight band helps him to rip it up. Cleary introduces Eddie Christmas on drums and he is a newcomer with a big future as he shines on C’mon Second Line. This is funk and boogie-woogie of the highest order. I first heard Professor Longhair play Tipitina on the Live On The Queen Mary album and have been a fan of his ever since. Cleary’s treatment of the song is more funky but manages to stick to the ethos of the Prof. Cheatin On You is so easy on the ear, as are most of his songs.

Port Street Blues is a slow and slinky barroom blues and Help Me Somebody is very soulful and understated. There is not a whisper in the crowd as Derwin Perkins plays a lovely solo on guitar. He does build things up toward the end of the solo and gets his much deserved praise. Groove Me has us back in the New Orleans groove again. Cleary’s voice is like treacle and his fingers are as quick as Usain Bolt! When U Get Back features electric piano and is soul of the highest standard. This is music to get horizontal to and the jazzy interludes make it a true joy, overall. They finish with the title track and Cleary lets the band have a couple of minutes in the spotlight before he comes in with a grinding groove. Funk, soul, this has got the lot and his voice suits it to a tee. A star has certainly been found in the form of Eddie Christmas but Derwin ‘Big D’ Perkins on guitar and Cornell C. Williams on bass are big, big parts of this band too.

http://www.joncleary.com/
www.myspace.com/joncleary

Rainer – The Westwood Sessions Volume 1 (OWOM Records).

10 years after his death, Rainer still has a great affect on those who listen to his music. This album, made from tapes recorded 20 years ago and recently discovered in Tucson, sounds as fresh as music being made today. It can be safely assumed that some of these songs were to be included in a follow up to the 1984 album, Barefoot Rock but they were presumably put away somewhere safe and forgotten about when he finally did release his next album in 1992. The opener, Voodoo Music, confirms that Rainer had his own style but this is just guitar and voice. He does produce a full sound, however, on this straightforward start. Mellow Down Easy has him moving onto electric and with a full band. This has a rockabilly feel to it and all of his eccentricity is here. Wayfaring Stranger is a blues rock with a wailing vocal. It builds well and he keeps his guitar understated as he was not one for big solos. Backwater Blues is so energetic and has great slide guitar whereas Mush Mind Blues is the complete opposite of the preceding track. This is a slow, throbbing blues with the only constant being the high standard of slide guitar. It begs the question -- was Rainer the inventor of Alt.blues?

All Done In sees a return to acoustic and a bit of Alt.country this time. He plays it pretty straight on this and produces a great song. He funks it up big style on Fear and it comes out as Talking Heads with slide guitar – very catchy. The very short Just A Little Bit is a shuffling blues version of the famous song covered by many. This is better than most of the versions that I have heard. There is no doubting his feelings on the very atmospheric Zealots Serve Dogmas (acoustic) although it is instrumental only. Every Body Wants To Go To Heaven is an amalgam of David Byrne, Mark Knopfler and Bob Dylan in the vocal delivery and is an excellent song, well executed. Zealots Serve Dogmas is electric this time and is with a full band. Bruce Halper’s drums add that extra dimension. He saves the best for last and I Am A Sinner is a spiritual, powerful blues that demonstrates a certain vulnerability before his guitar comes more and more to the fore.

I can’t wait for Volume 2!!

http://www.owomrecords.com/

David Blue.

Joe Bonamassa – From Nowhere In Particular (Provogue).

Joe Bonamassa has been hailed as “the new king of the blues” and from what I have seen and heard over the past couple of years, I cannot disagree with that statement. Live albums are not always the best quality but this is a more than ample follow up to his highly acclaimed 2007 album, Sloe Gin. He plunders this and 2006’s You & Me for most of the songs here and it is produced again by the excellent Kevin Shirley. The first CD opens with the electric Bridge To Better Days from You & Me and you couldn’t have a much better introduction to Joe Bonamassa. It’s rocking stuff and he is already playing the crowd. Free’s Walk In My Shadows is a classy walking blues and he has the crowd hanging on his every note. He is so precise on the slow blues of So Many Roads but there is no loss of impact with his power guitar in the live arena. At over 10 minutes, India/Mountain Time is a master class. India is the shorter instrumental intro/outro although it interweaves throughout. This may well become one of Joe’s signature tunes in the vein that Freebird became for Lynyrd Skynyrd for example. John Mayall’s Another Kind Of Love is a funky blues based rocker with a stunning solo although the song is short by Joe’s standards. The title track from his last album, Sloe Gin, reduces the pace a little. I said in my review of that album that this would be a great live track and I was not wrong. This will become another of his signature songs as both power and gentleness shine through. One Of These Days is a throbbing finish to the first CD. There are power chords all over the place as he takes it down in the middle before building it up to a storming slide guitar finish.


The second CD starts with Chris Whitley’s Ball Peen Hammer from his Slow Gin album. It has an acoustic start but it shows the power of the man and is a real crowd pleaser. He follows this up with If Heartaches Were Nickels and stays in the acoustic field. It’s a blues rock and this is what he is best at. There are no big solos here and it is all about the song this time. Woke Up Dreaming is a staple of his live performance and just listen to how fast one man can play an acoustic guitar. Django/Just Got Paid is an epic amalgamation of Joe’s original from You and Me that turns into ZZ Top’s Just Got Paid, a song that he only plays live. He can turn his voice from a whisper to a shout at will. Charley Patton’s High Water Everywhere highlights his acoustic dexterity and superb technique. The song builds slowly as the band pounds away in good style. He gets a big cheer for Asking Around For You so you can tell that this is a fans favourite. This smooth blues shows that he is not all about power but he still finds the space for his incisive guitar and yet another great solo. The set finishes with a medley of Jethro Tull & Yes in the form of A New Day Yesterday/Starship Trooper/Wurm. Seamless transitions are the order of the day and I cannot praise this high enough. This is a guy on the top of his game.

If you haven’t seen Joe Bonamassa live then this will keep you going until you do.

http://www.jbonamassa.com/
http://www.provoguerecords.com/

David Blue.

Monte Montgomery – Monte Montgomery (Provogue).

Already in the Top 50 All-Time Greatest Guitar Players, Alabama’s Monte Montgomery is a guitar player’s guitarist. This is his second album for Provogue and showcases 11 original Montgomery songs that reinforce his writing talent and brings it to the same level as his renowned guitar playing. River is, like all of Montgomery’s songs, acoustic based. His use of slide is handled well and the song flows like the mighty Amazon itself. He is a strong contender in the guitar stakes with his wicked flurries. The addition of strings on Let’s Go helps to build a wall of sound. Acoustic guitar is his weapon of choice and he pushes the instrument to its limits. It’s all too easy to forget that he is singing too and he has a great rock voice that shouldn’t be allowed to be overwhelmed by his guitar wizardry. There’s a bit of Sammy Hagar in him and none more so than on Everything About You with its harmonics r us chorus. Company You Keep is acoustic rock of the highest order and his style is just so fluid that it washes over you and you come out so refreshed. The ballads are pleasant enough and the first of these, Love’s Last Holiday, is a prime example.

He lays down some slinky moves on Moonlight Tango, which is as sharp as an Argentinean on speed. Can’t Fool Everyone has a distorted vocal and hi-octane guitar. This should be a great live track. Montgomery goes all smooth and sultry on Could’ve Loved You Forever and as with the previous track, the backing vocal fits perfectly. This has a big chorus and epic guitar. Be Still is a classy acoustic rock with an electrifying solo and How Far is another of the ballads that serves as a good counterpoint to the more hectic stuff. Is it me or does everyone do Little Wing these days? However, Montgomery’s instrumental version is unlikely to be bettered. Taking us from delay and reverb effects at the start to over 10 minutes of superb guitar playing he gives us a true epic in every way. As Crocodile Dundee would say “that’s not a guitar solo – this is a guitar solo”. He closes with Midlife Matinee and although he needed to slow down it is a bit of an anti climax. It’s gentle and there’s nothing really wrong with it but he has set such a high standard with some of the previous tracks.

http://www.provoguerecords.com/
http://www.montemontgomery.com/

David Blue.

Eric Gales – The Story Of My Life (Provogue).

One of five brothers, Eric Gales is from a musical family and released his first album at the age of 16. Six albums later he gives us The Story Of My Life but it is strange that such a relatively young man has chosen to release this title – much the same as people writing autobiographies in their early years. He has many heavyweight fans such as Carlos Santana, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, BB King & Eric Clapton and those names alone should tell you of the talent that Eric Gales has. The follow up to the critically acclaimed The Psychedelic Underground opens with Save Yourself, which is a high impact opener and he has lost none of his power since his last album. His guitar pyrotechnics are just a joy to behold. I Ain’t No Shrink is a funky and slinky blues with the notes just dripping off his guitar. The eponymous title track is a churning blues, plain and simple. Layin’ Down The Blues is sophisticated and Gales has class stamped all over him. The Sound Of Electric Guitar is a festival in your ears so get your fuzz pedals and wah-wah’s out and join in. Gales mimics Jimi Hendrix at the start of Red, White & Blues. He then goes acoustic and turns the whole thing into an 8 and a half minute stadium rocker with a massive electric solo at the end. It has got it all!

Very Educated has staccato guitar over a heavy blues rock. It is a fervent attack with a flurry of notes. Cut And Run is a fast paced rocker with searing guitar that must have him in the forefront of the genre now. Borderline Personality is another strong rocker with obligatory raging solo and You Ain’t The Boss Of Me is a slow Chicago blues that confirms his ability to swap genres at will. These tracks contribute to a very strong finish. Bringin’ The Hammer Down is the last official track of the album. It is a pounding blues rock with guitar wizardry a plenty. There are two bonus tracks. The first is You Don’t Move Me with its funked up bass from Jeremy Colson and Steve Evans’ drums beating the rhythm. Gales tries to keep a lid on things but he just can’t help himself. The second bonus track is Gypsy, a mid-paced soft rocker with the trademark guitar flurries.

Eric Gales is knocking very hard on the door of the top guitarists club.

http://www.provoguerecords.com/

David Blue.

Various Artists – Great Rockabilly Volume 2( Smith & Co).

Hard on the heels of Great Skiffle Volume 2, here is the Rockabilly version. Some people might find that the two genres often overlap and they would not be wrong. One came from the other and artists tended to change genres like their socks, although Rockabilly tended not to appeal so much to the mass market. There are, of course, elements of Rock N Roll and Country in here too and it is sometimes impossible to distinguish what is what. As with the other albums in this series there is a wide spectrum of artists and standards on offer but the album does show that Rockabilly holds a firm space in the music firmament.

Some of the songs should be taken for what they are – great songs. Danny Wolfe contributes Let’s Flat Get It and the good vocal harmonies and guitar work makes it a top tune. Warner Mack gives us Roc-A-Chicka and if you ignore the novelty parts and concentrate on what is essentially a rocking good song then you have it. Jimmy Lloyd gives us the mid-paced Where The Rio De Rosa Flows and although this is not like the general Rockabilly genre at all, it is very very good and Sid King gives us Good Rockin’ Baby – slow and classy.

As I have said, Country music features highly in the Rockabilly make-up. Bob Luman sings on the Country side both vocally and musically on Make Your Mind Up Baby. But he also contributes Red Hot which is all Rockabilly. Dennis Herrold is heard on the Country influenced Hip Hip Baby – good chorus. Another strong song from Herrold is Make With The Lovin’. Autry Inman’s It Would Be A Doggone Lie is also from the Country side and a good example. Johnny Cash is about as big a name as you can get and Mean Eyed Cat is more Country than Rockabilly. A class act however. Hey Porter is also included but again, why here?

Rock N Roll is also represented and Janis Martin is one of the few women included but Drugstore Rock N Roll is, as the title suggests, more Rock N Roll than rockabilly. Jack Scott contributes Two Timin’ Woman which is a Rock N Roll crossover but it has that Rockabilly essence. Mac Curtis throws in If I Had Me A Woman which is a good crossover from Rock n Roll to Rockabilly. Sleepy LaBeef is another big name and has a deep vocal on the cusp of Rock n Roll with I’m Through whereas Carl Mann is earthy and has the feel on Gonna Rock N Roll Tonight.

Rockabilly is all about energy and defiance so the sheer energy on Bobby Lee Trammell’s Shirley Lee will knock you out. Johnny Carroll has Wild Wild Women which has plenty of whoops and hollers in a great rockabilly style whilst Kenny Parchman shows vitality on Tennessee Zip. Rudy Grayzell’s Ducktail is more like the rockabilly that is well loved by many -- a screaming vocal and manic guitar are the main components. Jimmy Edwards Love Bug Crawl is surely Jerry Lee Lewis inspired and Ray Harris gives us a version of Greenback Dollar, Watch & Chain in which he certainly has the Rockabilly warble. Curtis Johnson gives us Baby Baby and this has all of the components for a top Rockabilly song. Roz Larne also provides a fine example of the genre on Baby Take Me Back. Wayne Williams has the required energy on Red Hot Mama. Jackie Lee Cochran gives us a classic Rockabilly on Hip Shakin’ Mama and Corky Jones’ Hot Dog has that garage made feel to it.

Some of the biggest names of Rock N Roll and Country are here; Marty Robbins is one of those big names and Long Tall Sally is a big song to go with it. It’s not as energetic as Little Richard but who was? Carl Perkins is perhaps the biggest name in Rockabilly and he shows he is the daddy on Put Your Cat Clothes On – class does show. He also contributes Dixiefried, which is a mid-paced Rockabilly classic. Gene Vincent is one of the greats and Woman Love is trademark Vincent. The voice is there on Gonna Back Up Baby and The Bluecats also start to show signs of their class. Buddy Holly gives us I’m Changing All Those Changes and this indicates what was to come from the great man. His other contribution, Rock Around With Ollie Vee is early but his class shines through. Less famous is Billy Barrix who provides a stuttering delivery, no doubt modelled on Holly, on Cool Off Baby. Charlie Feathers delivers another stuttering vocal on Everybody’s Loving My Baby. Ricky Nelson gives us the blues side of Rockabilly on If You Can’t Rock Me. He also has Boppin’ The Blues but should this really be included on an album of Rockabilly songs? Eddie Cochran is one of the biggest names of them all and 20 Flight Rock was one song that crossed over into popular areas. He gives an understated performance here. Roy Orbison is not a name that you would expect to see here but he turns in a great performance on Mean Little Mama. He also gives us (A Cat Called) Domino but this is not so good. Elvis Presley contributes My Baby Left Me and this is pure class from the first note. He also is included with I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone and although it’s not Rockabilly as such, it does show where his roots were. Johnny Burnette is one of the giants of the genre and Rockabilly Boogie is good but not any better than the best of the others. Also gives us Lonesome Train and he is back on form with just enough emotion in the voice. Billy Lee Riley is one of the best known artists and Pearley Lee has just enough defiance in the voice. One of the first Rockabilly songs that I ever heard was his Flying Saucer Rock – a classic from a master.

There is, of course, a down side and Bobby Sisco is too proper and not nearly wild enough on Go Go Go. Al Ferrier’s Hey Baby is tame and Roy Moss sounds like Vic Reeves’ Shooting Stars pub singer on You’re My Big Baby Now. Billy Wallace is docile on Burning The Wind. Wanda Jackson was one of the few women to make the grade but I Gotta Know flits between country and Rockabilly and really there should be no place for this on this album. Hot Dog That Made Him Mad is poor. Collins Kids – Hop, Skip & Jump is not for me. George & Earl – Done Gone is not defiant enough in the vocal. Sammy Masters performs and energetic Pink Cadillac but it is too clean overall. Jay Chevalier is all over the place on Rock N Roll Angel. Narvel Felts is poor on Cry Baby Cry. Buzz Busby puts it all in for the performance on Rock N Roll Fever but he still doesn’t come up to the standards of some of the others. However, the biggest crime of all is Curtis Gordon’s take on Sitting On Top Of The World and shame on him for taking this blues classic and turning it into a circus.

All things considered there are more plus’ than minus’ and it will be a good addition to the audiophile library.

http://www.smithco.nl/

David Blue.

Oli Brown – Open Road (Ruf Records).

Oli Brown has taken in the influences of the great British blues players of the past and those of his contemporaries such as Aynsley Lister to take up the baton for the 21st century. He has already shared a stage with greats such as Koko Taylor, Walter Trout, John Mayall & Buddy Guy and is ready to take his place in the spotlight. Psycho is a contemporary blues played by a power trio. The rhythm section of Fred Hollis on bass and Simon Dring on drums ably backs Brown’s guitar in its quest for the elusive note. The eponymous title track is a mid-paced grinder with nothing out of the ordinary in the voice. Stone Cold (Roxanne) is a shuffling blues in the Kansas City style and there is no doubting his credentials as he lets it rip on the chorus. The first cover, Can’t Get Next To You has him not really out of first gear yet and this needs a bit of pace injected. It’s another contemporary blues rock with the introduction of Govert Van Der Kolm on organ. Shade Of Grey is slow again and has a spoken vocal intro. It does build a little and turns to the funky side.

All The Kings Horses has a heavy intro and highlights Brown as one of many playing this type of blues at the moment, and he’s certainly not the worst by any manners of means. This has his best guitar work yet and the pounding drums from Billy McLelan breathe life into it as it builds to a fantastic crescendo. Black Betty (yes it is the Ram Jam song) has a drawled vocal and although essentially the same as the Ram Jam cover of Leadbelly’s song, Oli does let himself go -- short and sweet. Missing You is a slow, uncomplicated blues with incisive guitar bursts -- this will be a great live track. New Groove is a beefed up Robert Cray style strolling blues in parts but we have had to wait until Played By The Devil before we get any genuine pace and this is a highlight as he shows how good he really is. Complicated is slowed down again but I’d have rather had him sprinting for the finish although this 21st century blues is a good finish to an intriguing album.

http://www.olibrownband.co.uk/
http://www.rufrecords.de/

David Blue

Doug MacLeod – The Utrecht Sessions (Black & Tan Records).

Recorded in MacLeod’s favourite European city, The Utrecht Sessions sees a consummate songwriter in his prime. Despite the Scottish name, MacLeod is an American, born and bred, although he now spends a lot of time in Holland where he has mastered one word – Heineken. The album was recorded in such a way that it feels live and MacLeod is in his element. The opener, Horse With No Rider, has top class slide guitar and is an authentic blues in every way. It is very contemporary and he is in good voice. He stays with dobro and slide for This Old River which has an emotion laden vocal – this is what it is all about. MacLeod builds on this with The Addiction To Blues, which is more upbeat and shows a true troubadour. The Long Black Train is a familiar subject matter for blues and country artists and he gets the effect of the shuffling train to a tee – very clean sound. The Demon’s Moan has another wailing vocal and the slide is, as it is throughout, top class. Long Time Road is bouncy and energetic with a very familiar sound.

I Respectfully Decline is soulful and mourning with a simple execution which hides the mastery of his instrument. He is a man confident in his own talent and this Americana is how music should be. That Ain’t Right is a country blues with great finger picking, Coming Your Brand New Day is gentle rhythmic blues and Sheep Of A Different Color is a slow John Lee Hooker style blues. What You Got (Ain’t Necessarily What You Own) keeps up the standard although he does lose it a bit on some of the guitar breaks. Where You’ll Find Me is just one man and his guitar – lovely Americana. The enclosed booklet gives little insights such as the guitar tuning for each song and some musings from MacLeod. For a true live experience you can also buy his DVD – The Blues In Me.

http://www.black-and-tan.com/
http://www.doug-macleod.com/

David Blue.

Ben Waters – Hurricane (Hypertension).

By his early 20’s Ben Waters (PJ Harvey’s cousin for those of you that like to know that sort of thing) had already played with some of the giants of British rock such as Mick Jagger and Pete Townshend. He also played at Jools Holland’s wedding and led the great boogie-woogie pianist to say “boogie-woogie is alive and well. Ben Waters has got the touch and feel for it”. A few years on sees the release of his first album for Hypertension. The title track does what it says on the tin – a high octane boogie with twinkle fingers Waters on piano. A bit more vocal attack would have set the song up perfectly, especially on the Beach Boys style chorus. Tiny Planet is another boogie with great interaction between Waters’ piano and Clive Ashley’s saxophone. It is a good piece of social commentary. It’s hard to categorise Booker but it builds well and is an homage to James Booker who had a great influence on the young Waters as well as teaching Dr John and Harry Connick Jnr to play piano. The Sky Fell Down is the most commercial song so far and good enough to match chart bands such as The Hoosiers and their ilk. Helicon Boogie has more piano and sax competition with the sax, played by guest Derek Nash, being more than a match on this intriguing instrumental.

Amos Milburn’s Roomin House Movie is a shuffling boogie and just good time music played for the fun of it. Mother Natures Molecules has increased pace and you certainly can’t criticize his energy. There’s a bit of Nick Lowe in his and partner Richard Hymas’ songwriting style. The Wasp is a high paced boogie-woogie with sax taking the part of the wasp. Waters’ muscles on his left arm must be of Popeye proportions. Who U Lay has funky bass from Hymas and keyboards from Waters and is only one step away from a Steely Dan song. He saves one of his slowest songs to finish with and Inconsequential shows that he has more than one tone to his voice. There are touches of Squeeze in this and the sax fade out is top class.

Jools Holland was correct!

http://www.hypertension-music.de/
http://www.benwaters.com/

David Blue.

Various Artists -- Great British Skiffle Volume 2 (Smith & Co).

I know what you are thinking – how could they get enough tracks to make up a volume 2? You would think that that would be the case but they’ve obviously held over a few top tracks to whet the appetite. Whichever way you think about Skiffle you have to agree that it does have a vital place in British Rock history. There is good and bad and this album has both. From the better Gospel based tracks such as Glory Road by The Vipers (one of the best known bands), Bob Cort’s It Takes A Worried Man To Sing A Worried Song and The City Ramblers Skiffle Group’s Down By The Riverside to the less well performed Toll The Bell Easy from Les Hobeaux Skiffle Group (a very British executed song) and Delta Skiffle Group’s repetitive and second rate Ain’t You Glad, all standards are here. There were many influences on Skiffle and the better tacks include Johnny Duncan’s bluegrass offering, Ella Speed, the Blues of Ken Colyer’s Midnight Hour Blues (just add a washboard and you have Skiffle), Rock n Roll in the form of Dickie Bishop’s No Other Baby, the Country tones of Careless Love by The City Ramblers Skiffle Group, folk from 2.19 Skiffle Group on Texas Lady, boogie-woogie in the form of Bearcat Crawl from Chris Barber and Jazz from Tony Donegan on Yes Suh although the last of these is of particularly poor recording quality.

The one true giant of British Skiffle was, of course, Lonnie Donegan and he has three tracks on offer. He shows us that he was the boss on Midnight Special and Jesse James. However, he is a bit sedate on Stackolee which is Stagolee under a different guise. There are other tracks more associated with Donegan such as Cumberland Gap (The Vipers) and Don’t You Rock Me (Bob Cort) that don’t measure up to his standard. Skiffle influenced many future artists and those include John Lennon who couldn’t have failed to be affected by The Vipers’ Railroad Steamboat, Steamline Train, Hey Lily Lily Lo and Maggie May, part of which ended up on the Let It Be album.

Famous songs include Last Train To San Fernando from Johnny Duncan, New Orleans (House Of The Rising Sun) & The Cotton Song (Cotton Fields), they pronounced their T’s in those days, by Chas McDevitt and Bob Cort’s 6.5 Special. You have to suspend belief at times such as when a very posh British female sings “I was born in East Virginy” on Chas McDevitt’s Green Back Dollar – yeah right! Jimmy Miller tries too hard to be American on Sizzling Hot. All the familiar themes are there including trains in the form of Chas McDevitt’s Freight Train, Sonny Stewarts’s The Northern Line and Railroad Bill by Lea Valley Skiffle Group.

One thing about Skiffle singers was that piercing tone just under the sound barrier that they had and shining examples of that are Johnny Duncan’s Footprints In The Snow and Sonny Stewart’s Black Jack. Ken Colyer’s piano led instrumental, House Rent Stomp has a homemade feel and that, in essence, is what Skiffle was all about. British blues giant Alexis Korner sounds positively amateurish on Roadhouse Stomp but, again it was that which made the genre so widespread. Skiffle really harks back to a previous time and Soho Skiffle’s Give Me A Big Fat Woman would have today’s PC brigade up in arms. Jimmy Jackson’s California Zephyr gives me my biggest problem and, after listening to it a number of times, I am convinced that it reminds me of another, more popular song. Can someone please put me out of my misery?

There is no mistaking the influence that Skiffle had on the musical forms that came after it. This album features some of the best but Frog Island Skiffle Group sum things up on Hand Me Down My Walking Cane. They’ve got the repetition, they’ve got the tone, they’ve got Skiffle!

http://www.smithco.nl/

David Blue.

Storm Warning – Something Real (Own Label).

Storm Warning are a five piece outfit that draw on their diverse musical backgrounds to produce a fluid sound. On The Road opens with echoes of an ancient forest which leads into a joint guitar and harp attack. It’s modern blues with a gruff vocal from Son Maxwell and Bob Moore’s effortless guitar style that can be dressed up when required. Hard To Be A Man has a bit of bounce to it and man fights back during the laconic lyric. Moore’s Vibrant guitar is a standout. Charlie’s Blues is a return to the guitar and harp duet and they have certainly taken the genre into the 21st century. Ian Salisbury’s keyboards are to the fore here to and Maxwell has lungs of steel on the harp. Blues 101 is a harmonica led jazzy blues with numerous references to blues classics that make it a bit of an homage to the great blues poets.

The eponymous title track is a slow blues with sustained guitar but despite the excellent intro it ultimately fails to deliver – patchy. One Step Forward has a snappy acoustic guitar and harp intro that leads us to a fast paced electric burst and manic keyboards. Lucky Peterson’s Nothing But Smoke, the only cover on offer, is another slow one and Bob Moore excels in these. There is a pronounced bass from Derek White and the song is more traditional than most. I Don’t Know has screeching harp and stays on the jazz side of the blues. They are a tight knit unit and Roger Willis on drums keeps them all together. Long Ride is a funky blues to finish with and Moore gets up a head of steam with some excellent flurries.

There is certainly space at the table for Storm Warning.

http://www.stormwarning.co.uk/

David Blue.

BB & The Blues Shacks – Unique Taste (Crosscut Records).

BB & The Blues Shacks have been around for over a decade now and have built a reputation as one of Europe’s foremost R&B/Soul/Blues bands Crosscut Records recognised this and signed them in 2001. Unique Taste is the bands fourth release and they are going from strength to strength, following on from the highly acclaimed Live At Vier Linden. The opener, Keep My Promises is a swinging, rolling R&B and shows the band has moved the focus of their sound to celebrate the 60s. The Fool I Am is a bit off beat at times but this shuffler moves along well. The eponymous title track is a bit of a departure for the band with this R&B leading into soul and Motown. It’s very good in its own way and it has some top Hammond organ playing from guest Raphael Wressnig. I Understand is a powerful, slow blues based ballad much in the style of Robert Cray and Three Handed Woman has a machine gun guitar delivery. Three hands, good or bad – discuss. However, when you find out that her third hand is in your wallet then that may make up your mind! Best guitar playing so far. Fool When You’re Cool is classic R&B and harmless fun and the speed is stepped up for Not The One For You, a fast paced bouncing blues/boogie woogie driven by Bernhard Egger’s drums and Andreas Arlt’s guitar. Little Pins is a slow blues with just guitar and Michael Arlt’s voice for the first minute or so. The band then joins in for an archetypal Chicago blues with strong guitar and piano with Michael Arlt just getting down and doing his stuff, as ever.

Anything But You is a slow, punchy R&B with sleazy vocal and organ. You just know what Arlt is talking about on Like A Woman That Just Bought Shoes, don’t you boys. High energy R&B with Dennis Koeckstadt and Raphael Wressnig on piano/keyboards to the fore again. The short and sweet Cut It! has a staccato guitar which heralds a 60s style instrumental whereas Step Back A Little is a strong soul song with more organ heroics. Tears About To Fall is a rock n roll ballad which, despite the lack of tempo, does swing along nicely. Michael Arlt’s harmonica returns but only serves to highlight its scant use during the album. So Glad I’m On Your Mind is a mid-paced pulsating blues with a stinging guitar solo and Too Fast Living is a slow blues much in the vein of Three Hours Past Midnight. The silky harmonica plays off the stark, snappy guitar. Do My Will has plenty of rhythm. Egger’s drums are the heartbeat of the band; piano and guitar take their place in the spotlight whereas the bass remains in the background but pays his way. The closing track, When The Night Comes Down is a slowish swinging blues with the Andreas Arlt’s guitar the star. However, Koeckstadt pushes him to the limit on the piano.

This album is sure to keep BB & The Blues Shakers in the premier league.

http://www.bluesshacks.com/
http://www.crosscut.de/

David Blue.

Moreland & Arbuckle – 1861 (NorthernBlues Music).

The last two or three years have been a bit of a whirlwind for Kansas City’s Moreland & Arbuckle with performances at several major blues festivals adding to 700 odd gigs in the past five years. They have become renowned for their blistering live performances and are a must see. There is always a nagging feeling for this type of band that they may not be able to turn those electric live performances onto recorded media. Moreland & Arbuckle need not have worried as this, their debut, is a great introduction. Gonna send You Back To Georgia is a heavy duty start with its fast pace, 100% fuzzed slide guitar from Aaron Moreland and harp from Dustin Arbuckle. It’s a great electric blues with Arbuckle also in full voice. Despite the name they are a three piece outfit with drummer Brad Horner making up the trio. Fishin’ Hole is a rootsy blues and confirms that Northern Blues has come up with another star act for their roster. Tell Me Why is mellow and acoustic with Arbuckle’s deep dulcet tones setting it off very well. Chris Wiser guests on organ and joins the harp to introduce Diamond Ring, an earthy, rocking blues. This confirms their status as stars in the making. The quaintly named See My Jumper Hangin’ Out On The Line is a powerful electric blues and The Legend is classic Americana with Arbuckle excelling again on vocals.

Never Far Behind is a fast paced country blues with Moreland’s slide guitar keeping pace with Arbuckle’s vocal. Teasin’ Doney is low key right up to the end where it goes all electric for some strange reason. Not too sure about this one. Please Please Mammy is a Kansas City blues at last, and a good one to boot. Pittsburgh In The Morning, Philadelphia At Night is a classic ‘Woke Up This Morning’ type of blues. It’s grungy and grinding and very heady stuff. Wrong I Do is played on acoustic dobro with sympathetic harp and heartfelt vocal but six and a half minutes of slow jam on Wiser Jam is, unfortunately, ultimately a pointless end to an excellent album.

Their name sounds like a firm of lawyers but don’t let that put you off, this is an excellent band.

http://www.northernblues.com/
http://www.morelandandarbuckle.com/

David Blue.

The Homemade Jamz Blues Band – Pay Me No Mind (NorthernBlues Music).

This has to be the youngest blues band ever! Brothers Ryan (16) & Kyle Perry (13) along with their 9 year old sister Taya are setting the blues world alight. Heavyweights such as BB King and Elvin Bishop have predicted big things for the trio. In fact, they have been invited to play at the opening of the BB King museum in Indianola later this year. This, their debut CD, is already being described as the Holy Grail amongst blues circles. Who Your Friends Are introduces their earthy guitar sound and when your guitars are made from exhausts (mufflers in the USA) then earthy is an understatement. It’s a funky, contemporary blues played by a classic power trio set up with guitarist/vocalist Ryan out front. His voice will get better by age, good as it is at the moment. Voodoo Woman is another funk fest. 21st century blues although the sound is a bit thin at times. This is a criticism levelled at most trios but they have youth on their side and that gives them time to fill out their sound. The Worlds Been Good To You is a slow Chicago blues and the addition of harmonica, played by father Renaud (who also writes their songs), is a pleasant surprise. Ryan Perry is another young guitarist destined for greater things. Right Thang, Wrong Woman (I love the title) is a strong song and they have achieved that fuller sound with the addition of Miles Wilkinson on rhythm guitar. The incisive guitar breaks confirm Ryan is the star of the trio. The pace is slowed for Penny Waiting On Change, a straightforward heartfelt blues. Ever had one of those days when you woke up feeling great but by lunchtime it’s all gone to pot? This is one of those. There’s a flurry of notes in the solo but Kyle on bass is the bedrock on which his brother can do his thang and Taya on drums is more to the front than on most tracks.

Blues Concerto is R&B, old style and the harp returns. The production is lost on a few occasions but it does give each of the band a chance to show off their skills individually. Time For Change has some mellow crossover tones and this will get better as it evolves. A re-working in the future will make it one of their biggest tracks. Pay Me No Mind has the harp being used more and this hi-tempo R&B makes full use of it. Jealous keeps the pace up with stinging notes from Ryan’s guitar. It’s hard to work out their influences but they do this funky blues thing so well. They are a tight unit and the rhythm section backs up the guitarist very well. Shake Rag is a jam and a good one at that with both guitar and harp to the fore. They close with the John Lee Hooker classic, Boom Boom. This is a malevolent song but they don’t really have that kind of streak in them just yet. Deeper vocals are required for this and I’m sure that the great man would have enjoyed singing it with these youngsters.

The album is, quite literally, homemade and I hope that they don’t lose too much of that raw sound as they climb the ladder.

http://www.northernblues.com/

David Blue.

Matt Taylor Band – No Trouble At All (Bluesy Electric Recordings).

The Matt Taylor Band is a well respected outfit on the live circuit and there are times when that vitality does not transfer to the recorded medium. However, Matt’s new album, No Trouble At All, is quite prophetic as he does it with ease. I Found A Love is a dynamic, funky opener and the band has already established their credentials. This is followed by Get Outta My Way, which is one of a number of original songs on offer. It’s a soulful soft rock that leaves you in no doubt about the high quality of Taylor’s guitar playing. Let Your Hair Down is another original and the slow mellow tones could easily be The Eagles or their ilk. The harmonies are top drawer and this one could well become a bit of an anthem. You Are The Only One shows a different facet to his voice as he adds a bit more gravel to the vocal for this blue eyed soul. One of the covers is that of Bob Dylan’s To Be Alone With You. Dominated by Jonny Dyke’s piano, it manages to turn into a 60s R&B. The Open Road has a slow build up but this soft rock offering has such an uplifting chorus.

Hayley Anderson guests on So Far From Home and Taylor goes all Americana and does it very well. The fuzzed vocal is used to great effect. Sheryl Crow’s Everyday Is A Winding Road is given a rootsy treatment and is, it could be argued, more than comparable with the original. Taylor’s not inconsiderable guitar talent is one of the reasons why. Another cover follows in the shape of Greg Allman’s It’s Not My Cross To Bear. This is a soulful blues that builds to a feverish pitch. Snakes is a strange one with a Miami Latin feeling whereas Lovestain is a moody and atmospheric acoustic ballad with Taylor’s soaring guitar ending things perfectly. He gets a jug band feel into No Trouble At All and the fun lasts all the way as he manages to get his guitar to sound like a duck in parts. Three radio edits of You Are The Only One, The Open Road and Everyday Is A Winding Road finish off proceedings.

The Matt Taylor Band makes playing sound so easy, almost no trouble at all.

http://www.matttaylorband.com/

David Blue.

Tony Joe White – Deep Cuts (Munich Records).

Tony Joe White is an acclaimed songwriter with songs recorded by Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Tina Turner and Joe Cocker amongst many others. He is also credited with being one of the originators of ‘Swamp Rock’ and has written some of the classic songs of our time. Set The Hook has deep rich drums from Jeff Hale that lead into jagged guitar and harp. It’s an instrumental opening that is powerful, yet strange. As The Crow Flies makes plenty of references to the blues and White’s deep vocal sets it off perfectly. This is a hypnotic 21st century blues. Willie & Laura Mae Jones has those deep husky tones again and although snappy drums almost mask the blues influences, it pounds and throbs to a climactic peak. Soul Francisco has a futuristic feel with a power that is right in your face. It’s simple, yet effective, guitar is countered by a pounding bass. There’s no real pace about it but the power more than makes up for it.

The instrumental, Run With The Bulls is, as you may expect, Spanish flavoured and High Sheriff Of Calhoun Parish is another easy goer; a Western tale with a deep message. The start of Aspen, Colorado doesn’t hit it off. His voice doesn’t work but does eventually edges his way into it. This is a classic song that is expansive and world weary. Most definitely a grower. Homemade Ice Cream is gently led by guitar and harmonica and this instrumental is one to just laze back and listen to. Swamp Water is a down & dirty instrumental that sums up his raison d’etre. I don’t mean this in a bad way but you can see why others take his songs and have more success with their own interpretations. Take the final track, Roosevelt & Ira Lee for example. He is a bit of a one trick pony vocally and other singers can put their stamp on his songs, which, incidentally, are second to none in terms of quality. This moody offering is a bit of a strange one to finish with.

There is no mistaking Tony Joe White’s contribution to popular music and this selection of songs confirms his sublime songwriting talent.

http://www.munichrecords.com/
http://www.tonyjoewhite.com/

David Blue.