Showing posts with label Tom Craig. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tom Craig. Show all posts

Saturday, September 11, 2021

#517 : Tom Craig - Good Man Gone Bad



2021 – 8th Train Records

By Phillip Smith; Sep. 11, 2021

 

In the making of Good Man Gone Bad, Tom Craig states his goal for the album was to make it 100% blues.  He definitely succeeded.  This collection of thirteen all-original songs was recorded at Buckeye Recording in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and produced by harp-master Mikey Junior.  It has a natural flow from beginning to end, giving the listener an enhanced album-oriented experience.  With Craig on guitar and vocals, his band is comprised of Dave Gross on bass guitar, Vin Mott on drums, Eric Johnson on Hammond organ and Mikey Junior on harmonica.   

The record opens with Craig’s blue-collar, working-class love song called “Working Too Hard”.  This infectious track is loaded with hot guitar licks and Junior’s blistering harp playing.  It’s a terrific song.  It rolls quite nicely right into “What a Man’s Gotta Do”, which wins me over with its cool beatnik rhythm and twangy guitar tone.  Craig’s vocals are velvety smooth as he sings “It’s All My Fault”.  This slow, bluesy ballad is perfectly crafted from beginning to end.  It’s a genuine blast to rock out to “Sheepdog”.  I enjoy the Z.Z. Top Texas-blues vibe.  Craig lays the facts on the line in “When You Love a Blues Man” as he masterfully serves up another delicious platter of smoldering blues.  The funky groove woven through “Headhunter” is absolutely fabulous.  It lures me in like a moth to a flame.  A tantalizing concoction of funk, soul, and blues is crafted into the framework of “I Like Soul in My Blues”.  Sung with a polished voice and topped with horns, it’s positively a delightful listen.

I’ve been a fan of Tom Craig’s since reviewing his 2017 album Get Ready For Me.  His talent runs deep, as does my appreciation for his music.  Good Man Gone Bad is a gem of an album.  Blues fans will surely want to hear this one.     

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For more information about the artist, visit this website : tomcraigband.com


Saturday, February 25, 2017

Tom Craig and Soul Patch - Get Ready For Me


2017 – Tom Craig and Soul Patch  
By Phillip Smith; Feb 18, 2017


It’s obvious to see why Tom Craig and Soul Patch were chosen to represent the Central Delaware Blues Society for the 2017 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee this past January.  Oozing with soul, this fabulous R&B ensemble’s tantalizing debut album, Get Ready For Me, is solid proof.  Soul Patch, fronted by singer/guitarist Tom Craig has one bodaciously tight rhythm section consisting of drummer Johnny O’Connell and bassist “Rando” Randy Branning, smooth keyboard stylings of Eric Johnson on Hammond and a terrific horn section with Vince Gleason on tenor sax, and Skyler Hagner on baritone.

Tom Craig and Soul Patch deliver horn-infused soul, reminiscent of the formative music coming out of Stax Records in the Sixties with “Louita” and “How Did I Break the Rules”.  I love the bluesy undertones of title track “Get Ready for Me”.  Craig’s vocals are suave and commanding like Neil Diamond.  His guitar licks sounds great, as they pepper Johnson’s lush keys and the smoothly blended sax riffs.  Heartbreak hit, “She Did it to Me, She’ll Do it to You”, is a big tantalizing bowlful of slow bluesy soul.  A captivating hook with a peppy groove steers “Captain Funk” right into my list of favorites.  Craig serves up a delicious taste of Chicago blues in “Please Forgive Me Baby” with a brilliant vocal performance.


Listening to Get Ready For Me puts me in a good mood, and brings a smile to my face with every listen.