#534 : PhillyCheeze's Favorite 20 of 2021

 

By Phillip Smith; Dec.25, 2021

 

PhillyCheeze's Favorite 20 of 2021

(in alphabetical order)

Alabama Slim - The Parlor

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2021/01/482-alabama-slim-parlor.html

Alastair Greene - The New World Blues

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2021/02/486-alastair-greene-new-world-blues.html

Altered Five Blues Band - Holler if You Hear Me

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

Avey Grouws Band - Tell Tale Heart

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2021/08/514-avey-grouws-band-tell-tale-heart.html

Bob Corritore & Friends - Spider in My Stew

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2021/05/499-bob-corritore-friends-spider-in-my.html

Eddie 9V - Little Black Flies

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2021/06/502-eddie-9v-little-black-flies.html

Gov't Mule - Heavy Load Blues

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2021/12/530-govt-mule-heavy-load-blues.html

Corey Harris - The Insurrection Blues

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2021/10/526-corey-harris-insurrection-blues.html

Tony Holiday's Porch Sessions - Volume 2

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2021/09/518-tony-holidays-porch-sessions-volume.html

Seth Lee Jones - Flathead

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2021/09/515-seth-lee-jones-flathead.html

Joseph and the Velozians

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2021/11/527-joseph-veloz-presents-joseph-and.html

Jujubees - Where Are We Now

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2021/04/496-jujubes-where-are-we-now.html

    

Kingfish - 662

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2021/07/510-christone-kingfish-ingram-662.html

Larkin Poe & Nu Deco Ensemble - Paint the Roses

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2021/10/524-larkin-poe-nu-deco-ensemble-paint.html

Memphissippi Sounds - Welcome to the Land

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2021/10/520-memphissippi-sounds-welcome-to-land.html

Miss Lady Blues - Moe Betta Blues

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2021/09/519-miss-lady-blues-moe-betta-blues.html

Tony Spinner - Love is the Answer

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2021/01/481-tony-spinner-love-is-answer.html

Sugarmill Slim

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2021/03/492-sugarmill-slim-sugarmill-slim.html

Carolyn Wonderland - Tempting Fate

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2021/12/532-carolyn-wonderland-tempting-fate.html

Ghalia Volt - One Woman Band

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2021/01/484-ghalia-volt-one-woman-band.html

The Spotify Playlist

#522 : Joanna Connor, Avey Grouws Band and James Tutson - Live at the Olympic

The Olympic Southside Theater
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
 All Photos by Phillip Smith; Oct. 09, 2021

The Olympic Southside Theater in Cedar Rapids, Iowa was definitely the place to be the evening of Friday, October 8, 2021.   This music venue, previously known as Spotlights, Big Dogs, and 3rd Street Live since I've lived in town, has hosted countless musical acts over the years.  In 1992, I set foot in this place for my first time and saw Kevin Burt with his band The Blues Instigators.   Over the years, I was fortunate to catch acts like John Mayall, Warren Zevon, Buddy Guy,  Little Feat, Black Oak Arkansas, George Clinton, and Days of the New.       After several years of non-occupation, this sacred space for music has been restored and revitalized to give it a new life as a place for people to congregate and enjoy live music.

The evening started off with a captivating solo performance from Iowa City artist James Tutson (James Tutson and the Rollback) who appeared on NBC's The Voice, earlier this year.  I really hope to hear more from him in the future.

Avey Grouws Band took the stage next, engaging the audience to the max.  Their setlist included favorites such as "Two Days Off (and a Little Bit of Liquor)", "Come and Get This Love", and "Dirty Little Secret" off their 2020 album The Devil May Care and tracks from their brand new album Tell Tale Heart such as  "Love Raining Down", and the intoxicating instrumental "Mariana".   I loved every bit of it.   

Immediately following was Chicago's Queen of Blues Rock guitar Joanna Connor. Watching and hearing her play is an absolute treat.  Her fearless approach to her music, ranks her among the top of the list.  

The jam session at the end was extraordinary, as  guitarist Billy Satterfield joined Joanna, Chris Avey, Jeni Grouws, and James Tutson for the grand finale.  After going so long without seeing a show of this caliber in Cedar Rapids, this was exactly what I needed.     

--

·         All photos by Phillip Smith

James Tutson

Avey Grouws Band

Joanna Connor

All-Star Jam

* all photos by Phillip Smith

#514 : Avey Grouws Band - Tell Tale Heart

 

2021 – Navy House Records

By Phillip Smith; Aug. 28, 2021

 

Iowa-based blues-rockers Avey Grouws Band has yet another delectable album to sink one’s teeth into.  Tell Tale Heart is their latest record, and follows up quite nicely to their acclaimed 2020 release The Devil May Care which broke into the top 10 on the Billboard Blues Album Chart.  

 While the record was being composed during the pandemic, they also broke new ground by hosting 102 semi-weekly live mini-concert streams via their “Quarantini Party” and “Bloody Marys and Blues” events.  Their dedication to provide entertainment to their fanbase is quite apparent.  This is a band I’ve had the pleasure of seeing twice this summer already.  In June, I saw them open for Walter Trout at the Adler Theater in Davenport, Iowa.  Then in July, I caught them at the Prairie Dog Blues Festival in Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin.  In both instances, I immediately noticed their magical connection to their audience.  Avey Grouws Band is comprised of Chris Avey ( lead guitar/vocals), Jeni Grouws (lead vocals/rhythm guitar), Randy Leasman (bass guitar), Bryan West (drums), and Nick Vasquez (keyboards).

The driving rhythm, and killer riff of “Love Raining Down” jets the album skyward in a glorious blaze of blues-rock.  Avey’s fearless approach to laying it all out with his guitar demands the listener’s full attention.  Grouws’ powerful, velvety vocals captivate me as political polarization runs rampant and lines are drawn in the sand in “Bad Bad Year”.  Fueled by heavy doses of Billy Gibbons-inspired guitar and a badass beat, this makes for another great cut.  Title-track “Tell Tale Heart” takes a beautiful yet melancholy turn as Grouws delivers a vocal performance full of heart and soul.  The heaviness and inner-turmoil woven into the lyrics are amplified by a wall of sound from the band.  It sounds great.  Immediately following is a wonderful Pink-Floyd-esque instrumental called “Mariana”.  Avey pulls out all the stops as he just lets his guitar speak.  West, Leasman, and Vasquez create the perfect space for this intoxicating piece of music to take place.  I heard this one performed live when AGB opened for Walter Trout, and it was an amazing experience to say the least.  “Daylight” is refreshing and delightful.  Its playful melody and softly-sung lyrics warms the soul.  I love the funky pulse running behind “Heart’s Playing Tricks”.  As the swirling sound of keys from Vasquez fill the air, Avey tosses a groovy and infectious riff on top.  This is most definitely another favorite.

Loaded with ten all-original songs, Tell Tale Heart is an absolute gem of an album from start to finish.  This is a record I highly recommend.          

--- 

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

 

Available on Bandcamp : https://aveygrouwsband.bandcamp.com/