#759- > Lisa Mann’s Northwestern All-Stars featuring Terrie Odabi - The Great Women of Blues (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2025 – JayRay Records
Release Date : May 23, 2025
 
By Phillip Smith; July 19, 2025
 
Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com
 

In 2023 two-time BMA recipient Lisa Mann and drummer Jimi Bott (The Proven Ones) were asked to form a supergroup of Pacific Northwest artists to appear at the Groove Now Concert Series in Basel, Switzerland.  With Mann on vocals/bass, Bott on drums, Ben Rice (PDX Hustle) and Jason ‘JT’ Thomas (Roy Hargrove, Snarky Puppy) on guitars, and Louis “King Louie” Pain on organ, they forged Lisa Mann’s Northwestern All-Stars. The band was asked to perform a tribute to the great women of blues for the show.  To fill the request, they also brought in five-time BMA nominee blues singer Terrie Odabi. This show took place June 9, 2023 at the Atlantis Club and was recorded live.

The eleven-track album opens with Odabi lending her beautiful voice to an a capella sampling of “Wade in the Water” which included a spoken-word narrative about the song’s origin. Following next is a roof-splitting cover of Etta James’ “I Sing the Blues”. It truly is magnificent. I break out an instant smile when I hear the hot guitars, swirling organ, and sultry vocals pour freely from their riveting delivery of “Let the Juke Joint Jump”. This song was originally recorded by Koko Taylor and was on her 1993 Force of Nature album.  I am instantly pulled into their Big Mama Thornton song “Ball & Chain” by its elegant and toneful guitar introduction. Odabi’s voice is fabulous and captivating. The song absolutely cooks. I adore Mann’s heartfelt performance of Ella James’ ’67 blues classic “I’d Rather Go Blind”. The band plays this with perfection. Bringing the recording its end is the Willie Dixon-penned party song “Wang Dang Doodle”. Howlin’ Wolf recorded the song in 1960, and five years later it was recorded by Koko Taylor for Checker Records. It became an instant hit for her and reached number thirteen on Billboard’s R&B chart.  Lisa Mann’s Northwestern All Stars embrace the song to its fullest for an eight-and-a-half-minute shindig.

Mann and Bott did a terrific job of putting together this Northwestern All-Star group featuring Odabi. Their recording genuinely honors the influential women of blues and their music. I hope the they come together for another recording. This one was exceptional.  

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For more information about Lisa Mann, visit her website : https://www.lisamannmusic.com/

For more information about Terrie Odabi, visit her website :  https://terrieodabi.com/

#433 : Ben Rice & RB Stone - Out of the Box

2020 – Middle Mountain Music
Release Date : March 6, 2020

By Phillip Smith; Feb. 22, 2020


Out of the Box, a cigar box guitar project by Ben Rice and RB Stone caught my attention in a magnificent way.  Rice and Stone have written eleven original blues tracks which they perform using an assortment of cigar box guitars comprised of 6 and 4 string Washboards, Swampeast Cigar Box, and a Lobo Cigar Box.  Backing Rice and Stone on this self-produced project is drummer Dave Melyan, bassist Joseph Barton and Jimi Bott on tambourine.  Bott, the award-winning blues drummer who has played with the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and The Proven Ones, also recorded and mixed the record.

The guys bust out in full rockabilly style on “Hot Rod Mama”, both tearing it up on 6-string Washboards.  The slide sounds terrific, and their vocals are dynamic.  Melvan’s back-beat and Rice’s mesmerizing riff instills a relaxed North Mississippi vibe to “Easy Rollin’ Down the Road”.   Stone breaks out his harmonica on the delightfully cool retro track “Hoodoo Workin’ Overtime”.  There’s a bit of a Howlin’ Wolf essence about this one that I adore.  “Swamp East Boogie” puts a smile on my face with every listen as Stone lets loose on his SwampEast CBG.  The Southeast Missouri area they sing about is very familiar to me.   “Bad Blood on Mean Whiskey” has a menacing ambiance and a badass attitude that is irresistible.      

The grand finale of this splendid album is a song called “Lobo Jam”.  This four and a half minute instrumental jam consists of an edgy driving rhythm and lots of smoking slide guitar.  I absolutely love it.  This album is a must for blues and cigar box guitar fans.      

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For more information about these artists, visit their websites:  https://rbstone.com and https://www.benricelive.com/