Saturday, January 25, 2020

#429 : Tas Cru - Drive On



2020 – Subcat Records

By Phillip Smith; Jan. 25, 2020

Tas Cru (Rick Bates) has been on my radar since reviewing his Simmered & Stewed album in 2017.  Since then, I’ve seen him perform some kick-ass blues live at the Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis and the Prairie Dog Blues Festival in Wisconsin.  Drive On, his latest album is another superb recording of music rooted in the blues.  With backing vocals from Mary Ann Casale, Tas keeps front-and-center on lead vocals, guitars, and harmonica.  Adding a lush new sound to his music is the new guy Saxophonist Anthony Terry.  The band also includes Gabe Stillman on slide guitar, organist Anthony Geraci, bassist Bob Purdy and drummer Andy Hearn.  Special guests include drummers Sonny Rock and Cathy Lamanna, and Colin “Big Yellow Dog” Beatty on bass.       

Tas kicks this one off with “That Lovin’ Thang”.  Delivered with a cool, swinging groove and a hot keyboard lesson from Geraci, this barn-burner is an absolute gem.  Stillman loads “Money Talks”, up with a nice juicy dose of slide guitar.  Title-track “Drive On” is so sweet and infectious, it’s certainly among my favorites.  Sonny Rock, who has toured with Tas quite a bit over the past few years, makes a guest appearance on “Save Me”, a heady tune with a Doors-meets-Dire Straits atmosphere.   On a haunting and ominous note, the album concludes with “Devil in Your Heart”, an acoustically-performed duet with Mary Ann Casale.  I love the fact that this is stripped-down, where we can zero in on the vocal performance.  They sound great together. 

Whether live or on record, Tas is one of my favorites.  His songs are almost always originals, and his writing stands out from the herd,  Drive On is indeed another terrific album. 


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Mary Ann Casale , Tas Cru @ Prairie Dog Blues Festival
 Prairie du Chien, WI
 July 26, 2019
* Photo by Phillip Smith




Saturday, January 18, 2020

#428 : Thorbjørn Risager - Come On In




2020 – Ruf Records 

By Phillip Smith; Jan.18, 2020

I’ve been a big fan of Thorbjørn Risager since reviewing his Too Many Roads album in 2014.  This eight-piece band from Denmark has been playing together for seventeen years, and continually raise the mark with every release.  Rooted in blues, and infused with elements of jazz, swing, gospel, and rock, Risager’s music is some of the best recorded today.  Their new album Come On In is absolutely stunning.  Backing Risager while he takes lead on guitar and vocals, is Emil Balsgaard on piano/keys, Joachim Svensmark on guitar, Kasper Wagner on assorted saxophones, Hans Nybo on tenor sax, Peter W. Kehl on trumpet/flugelhorn/trombone/sousaphone, Søren Bøjgaard on bass/moog/synthesizer, and Martin Seidelin on drums/percussion. 

Title track “Come on In” rolls out with a fetching pulse from Seidelin while Risager lures me in with his cool-as-hell voice and etheric guitar licks.  I love the slide on “Last Train”.  This fabulous, hard-driving blues tune is marvelously infectious.  “Two Lovers” is beautifully written and performed.  Risager constructs a dreamy and hypnotic atmosphere in “On and On”.   There’s a deep soulful energy about this one, that draws me right in.  With the dials set at eleven, they tackle “Love So Fine” with searing guitar, pounding keys, and a backline of brass.  This powerful jam is a great one to rock out to. 

Thørbjorn Risager and the Black Tornado have unquestionably won me over yet again with Come On In.  It is such a splendid album to usher in the new year.           

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For more information about the artist, visit this website https://risager.info     




Saturday, January 11, 2020

#427 : Annika Chambers - Kiss My Sass



2019 – Vizztone  
By Phillip Smith; Jan. 11, 2020

Kiss My Sass, the third studio album from Houston blues artist Annika Chambers, is a dynamo of hot soulful blues.  Chambers, who was deservedly awarded the 2019 Blues Music Award for Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year, has been nominated again for 2020.  She certainly woos me over with her astonishing beautiful voice.      

Immediately, I’m lured into the record with “Let That Sass Out”, a tune written by R.B. Stone.  Powerful vocals from Chambers is topped with a buttery rhythm from drummer Greg Brown Jr., and bassist Larry Fulcher.  Searing guitar licks from The Mighty Orq seals the deal.  Ruthie Foster makes a guest appearance on “What’s Your Thing”, with The Mighty Orq on pedal steel.  This one is an absolutely fabulous cocktail of deep blues and heavy soul.  I downright love her cover of the Etta James’ classic “In the Basement”.  This party song puts such a big smile on my face with every listen.  Chambers enlists her husband, the great Paul DesLauriers with acoustic guitar in hand, to join in a spirited duet on “I Feel the Same”.  They sound wonderful together.  DesLauriers douses his guitar with gobs of delightful slide while the subtle booming thunder from percussionist Sam Harrison injects an unmistakable heaviness to the song.   

Kiss My Sass truly is an album I’ve enjoyed from beginning to end.  It’s a terrific listen.      
   
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Sunday, January 5, 2020

#426 : Kevin Burt Live at Checkers Tavern



Kevin Burt Live at Checkers Tavern
Cedar Rapids, IA


January 5, 2020
By Phillip Smith

It’s been around twenty years since I first witnessed Kevin Burt’s early appearances at Checkers Tavern.  He’s always been engaging, but this show seemed more special, as Kevin reminisced about playing this venue in his early days as a solo performer. After kicking his show off with “Wake Up Baby”, an original off his Heartland and Soul album, he fabulously played through a mix of covers and original songs.  Armed with guitar and harmonica, he covered selections such as Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower”, Junior Wells’ “Messing with the Kid”, Richie Havens’ “Freedom”, Johnny Nash’s “I Can See Clearly Now”, and Buddy Guy’s “Feels Like Rain”.  He also played several of my favorite originals, such as “Your Smile”, and “Day Day”.  His performance was soulful and heartfelt, and his voice, as always, superb.  I enjoyed this one immensely. 


* photo by Phillip Smith

Saturday, January 4, 2020

#425 : Joanna Connor - Rise



2019 – M.C. Records
By Phillip Smith; Jan. 4, 2020

For over thirty-five years, Joanna Connor has been wooing blues fanatics in the Windy City.  Rise represents her thirteenth album, and third for M.C. Records.  After spotlighting her 2016 release Six String Stories on my blog and being gobsmacked while watching her perform at the 2017 Czech Village Blues festival in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, it’s a great pleasure to hear new music from this fabulous musician.  Connor, on guitars and vocals, is backed by bassist Joewaun Jay Red Scott, drummers Cameron Lewis and Tyrone “TY Drums” Mitchell, Delby Littlejohn on keys and Ryan Shea on sax.

Joined by Keithen Banks on vocals and rapper Alphonso Buggz Dinero, Connor starts the record off with a delightful dose of funk-filled R&B in “Flip”.  This is where all the fun begins.  Then, with guitar in hand, Mike Zito steps in on “Bad Hand”.  This uplifting track is accented quite nicely with a beautiful keyboard performance from Littlejohn.  Lewis tears it up on the jazz instrumental “Joanna in A”.  This is one hip track that feeds the spirit.  Another great instrumental is the cover of Sly Stone’s “If You Want Me to Stay”.  I dig it when Scott pours the funk on the bass.  Listening to Connor play “My Irish Father” is an absolutely astonishing experience.  She truly is a master.  

Connor’s blend of funk and blues goes right for the jugular in “Mutha” with fierce, mind-blowing guitar licks and vocal backing from Dinero.  The album comes to a climatic end with “Dear America”, a heavy Led Zeppelin-based blend of “When the Levee Breaks” topped with Dinero’s spoken-word state-of-the-world message.

Rise elevates Joanna Connor to a brand-new level.  I highly recommend this one.   

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

PhillyCheeze’s Review of Joanna Connor’s Six String Stories : https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2017/08/joanna-connor-six-string-stories.html

PhillyCheeze’s Photo coverage of 2017 Czech Village Blues festival, featuring headliner Joanna Connor : https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2017/08/czech-village-blues-festival-aug-12-2017.html