Showing posts with label Altered Five Blues Band. Show all posts

Friday, March 22, 2024

#669 : Altered Five Blues Band - Testifyin' (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

2024 – Blind Pig Records

By Phillip Smith; Mar. 23, 2024

Release Date : Mar. 22, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

I was very excited to hear there was a new release on the way from Milwaukee’s hardest working bluesmen Altered Five Blues Band. This seventh and latest release Testifyin' absolutely cooks. With five all-original tracks of smokin’ blues, this EP is hitting the scene with quite an impact. With Jeff Taylor on lead vocals, Jeff Schroedl on guitar, Mark Solveson on bass, Steve Huebler on keys, and Alan Arber on drums, A5BB plays the blues with feeling and conviction. The EP was produced, mixed and mastered by Grammy award-winner Tom Hambridge. To sweeten the pot, the super-talented, multi-award-winning Jason Ricci also appears with harp in hand on three of the five tracks.

Testifyin’ kicks off with “Don’t Tell Me I Can’t” delivered with a funky rhythm topped with a smokin’ guitar performance from Schroedl and a sweet horn accompaniment from Max Abrams on saxophone and Julio Diaz on trumpet. They roll into “Whiskey Got Me Married” a smoldering blues track that sounds great sung by Taylor’s husky voice. Ricci totally wails on the harmonica and sounds amazing. “Brand New Bone” is an outstanding track which seems to begin in the Delta and wrap up in Chicago. With Ricci in the mix, this track is a genuine winner. They slow it down to a gentle sway to sing about hard times in “I’ve Got Scars to Prove It”. Schroedl plays every note with an emotional approach. Testifyin’ wraps up in a lively positive light with “You Can’t Win (If it Ain’t Within)”. It is upbeat, uplifting, and a sheer delight to hear.

Every song is a keeper on Altered Five Blues Band’s Testifyin’. It’s a record that I keep on heavy-rotation for a long while.

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For more information about the artist, visit this website : https://www.alteredfive.com/

For other PhillyCheeze reviews regarding Altered Five Blues Band, follow this link:

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2021/10/521-altered-five-blues-band-holler-if.html

Saturday, October 9, 2021

#521 : Altered Five Blues Band - Holler If You Hear Me

2021 – Blind Pig Records

By Phillip Smith; Oct. 9, 2021

Those sensational blues-masters of Milwaukee Altered Five Blues Band has added another piping hot release to their catalog with Holler if You Hear Me. Clocking in as their sixth album, the energy of the band runs high, and is magnificently captured within this Tom Hambridge-produced recording. The powerful and soulful voice of front-man Jeff Taylor sounds so good backed by this tight-as-hell band consisting of guitarist Jeff Schroedl, bassist Mark Solveson, keyboardist Raymond Tevich, and drummer Alan Arber. Special guest Jason Ricci is the icing on the cake, with his harmonica accompaniment on five of the thirteen tracks. This is absolutely a winning combination.

I am in love with the album from the moment “Holler If You Hear Me” breaks out of the gate. The rhythm barrels through like a locomotive as we get a solid dose of Tevich’s hot ivory stylings topped with searing blasts of Ricci’s harmonica. The party pushes forward as Taylor lets loose on his anthem of after-hours debauchery in “Guilty of a Good Time”. Schroedl’s guitar solo absolutely sizzles as the rhythm fiercely latches on. Harp-a-blazing, Ricci gives a flawless performance as he goes toe-to-toe with Arber’s furious beat on “If You Go Away (She Might Come Back)”. A dash of swamp water is sprinkled atop “I Got All I Need”. This delightful bowl of slow-simmered blues heats up to a boil, licked by the red-hot flames rolling off Schroedl’s guitar. It’s absolutely wonderful. The record comes to its close with “Big Shout Out”, a sort of blues version of Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire”. This upbeat roll-call honors the blues artists of the past who’ve paved the way for those who play the blues today, and is a splendid song to end the album with.

Holler If You Hear Me is as solid as an album can get. It’s one hundred percent straight-up blues, delivered on a silver platter.

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For more information about the artist, visit this website : https://www.alteredfive.com

Altered Five Blues Band "If You Go Away (She Might Come Back)" [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

Monday, August 2, 2021

#511 : Prairie Dog Blues Festival - 2021

Prairie Dog Blues Festival - 2021

Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin

July 31, 2021

By Phillip Smith; Aug.2, 2021

Saturday, July 31, 2021, I landed in Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin, just off the mighty Mississippi River, for the second day of the Prairie Dog Blues Festival, and had an enormously good time. Soaking in the blues, while soaking up the sun is absolutely one of the best things life has to offer. On the main stage, I caught Lurrie Bell with Jason Ricci, Amanda Fish, Tony Holiday, The Altered Five Blues Band, and made several visits to the beer tent to hear Avey Grouws Band.

Lurrie Bell, son of famed bluesman Carey Bell was originally scheduled to appear with his brother Steve, and perform as the Bell Brothers. Sadly, Steve could not make, but on the bright side, they couldn’t have picked a better replacement than Jason Ricci. Lurrie and Jason were totally in sync, and this show was as real as the blues could get. They sounded great together as they smoked though songs like “You Gotta Help Me” and “Sweet Home Chicago”.

Amanda Fish took the main stage next, playing a mix of originals and covers. Just as a drone was hovering over the stage and crowd, she went right to “Helicopters in the Sky”. Other originals included “Friends” and “2020” from her Free Album. She belted out a great cover of “Me and Bobby McGee” and steered off the blues highway with “Fortunate Son / Free Bird / Born this Way”, ending her set with her take on the Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop”.

Tony Holiday came to play. I’ve reviewed two of his albums, and he’s one of my favorites. With Gordon Greenwood on guitar, they delivered wonderful covers of Otis Rush’s “Right Place, Wrong Time” and Sean Costello’s “Hard Luck Woman”. I was pleased as hell to hear “Payin’ Rent on a Broken Home”, “Good Advice” and “The Hustle”, all off his Soul Service album released in 2020. Those songs are absolute gems. Holiday brought his set to its finish with another cut off that same record, “It’s Gonna Take Some Time”. Tony’s soulful vocals and harmonica sounds so good paired with Greenwood on guitar. I really hope I get a chance to hear these guys play again.

I didn’t get to hang around for the entire set of the Altered Five Blues Band, but the portion of their show I did hear was phenomenal. It was an absolute treat to see Jason Ricci on stage once more. He was on fire playing harp. The songs I did catch from them were “Great Minds Think Alike” and “Too Mad to Make Up”. And they had the audience in the palms of their hands. The performance was absolutely electric.

As tradition goes at the Prairie Dog Blues Festival, there is always a band in the Beer Tent to provide a series of smaller sets which take place between the sets on the main stage. This year the Beer Tent stage was blessed to have Iowa’s own Avey Grouws Band. They are quickly becoming one of my favorite bands. With Chris Avey on lead guitar, Jeni Grouws on vocals and rhythm guitar, Bryan West on drums, Randy Leasman on bass guitar, and Nick Vasquez on keys, they literally rocked the tent. Their enthusiasm and rapport with the audience is second to none. A big smile was planted on my face as soon as I heard the opening sequence of “Two Days Off (and a Little Bit of Liquor)”. When they broke into ZZ Top’s “La Grange”, everyone felt the love for Dusty Hill, who had just recently passed away. It was a very welcome tribute, and they sounded so damn good too.

Until next time, thanks to all the volunteers who put this wonderful festival together each year. It’s really one of the best.

* all photos by Phillip Smith

Lurrie Bell and Jason Ricci