#708 > Chad Rupp and The Sugar Roots - Gate C23 (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – Lightning In A Bottle Records

By Phillip Smith; Oct. 12, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Since reviewing Chad Rupp and the Sugar Roots’ previous album last year, I’ve been totally onboard with their soulful approach to music. The latest recording from this Portland, Oregon ensemble is titled Gate 23 and hits like a fresh breath of air. I’m quite fond of the all-original guitar-centric, horn-infused blues they create.

Rupp and Sugar Roots quickly grab the attention of my ears with the suave and rockin’ blues of “Fresh Suits”. His guitar solo hits like a blast of Joe Walsh, and I soak it all up. As if simmered in a pot of funky New Orleans gumbo, “She Got That Business” surely puts a smile on my face. The masterful, slow dripping piano-laced blues on title-track “Gate C23” wonderfully captures the experience of being stuck in the Dallas/Fort Worth airport. No trip to Beale Street in Memphis should be without a visit to Blues City Café for an evening of southern delicacies and top-notch entertainment. Rupp’s homage to this eatery and juke joint cleverly name-drops a plethora of musicians and menu items often found there with “Blues City Cafe”.  Growing up as one of those boys who had to shop for clothes in the ‘husky’ section of J.C. Penney, “Fat Kid Boogie” makes for a fun track loaded all the sweet treats which I often crave. The album comes to a funky jam-packed end with “Blind, Crippled & Crazy”.  I dig the way the song opens up to allow each member of the band to shine on this track.

Chad Rupp and the Sugar Roots have certainly scored again. Gate C23 is a terrific album, and further fuels my urge to see them in a live show. I’m definitely keeping an eye on this band.

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Check out additional PhillyCheeze reviews of Chad Rupp with this link:

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=Chad+Rupp

 

 

#707 > BillyLee Janey Band - King of the Roll (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – Fervor Records

By Phillip Smith; Sep. 28, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

King of the Roll, the latest album from BillyLee Janey Band is seventeen tracks of all-original hard-driving blues-rock, and I absolutely dig it. I’ve been a fan of BillyLee’s work for quite a long time, and he never ceases to amaze me. With Janey on all guitars and vocals, he is joined with Tommy T-Bone Giblin (Lonnie Brooks) on B3 and clavinet, Dan ‘DJ’ Johnson on bass, Bryce Janey on bass guitar, Eric Douglas on drums, and Troy Harper guest drummer on “Lucky Star”.

Setting a strong impression, the album leads off with title-track “King of the Roll” a song loaded with a funky rhythm and searing guitar licks. Douglas’ commanding approach on drums fuels this smoking track. The rolling sound of Giblin’s B3 sets a groovy background for Janey as he lays down the law on “Killin’ Flow”. In a fabulously smoldering performance, Janey and band conjure memories of the ferocious derecho which tore through Iowa in August of 2020 in “Iowa Hurricane”. That was a day I will never forget, and the song captures the event in a most honest way. I love the propulsive “Hellbound Nite Ryder”. The song guides the listener down a mesmerizing journey of Janey’s guitar mastery. “Rain Fallin’” is an amazing track with a jazz-soaked rhythm which brilliantly takes me back to 2008 when a hundred-year flood wreaked havoc across Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Hearing Janey cut loose on the nearly seven-minute long instrumental “Star Spangled Blues/Mountain Fire” is a genuine treat.

BillyLee Janey Band truly shines with King of the Roll.  I highly recommend giving this album a listen.

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For more information about BillyLee Janey, visit https://fervor-records.com/artist/billylee-janey/

 

Check out previous PhillyCheeze reviews and photos of BillyLee Janey with this link:

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=Billylee+Janey

 

 

#704 : J.D. Simo & Luther Dickinson - Do the Rump (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – Forty Below Records

Release Date : Sep. 20, 2024

By Phillip Smith; Sep. 21, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

I was very excited when I first heard Luther Dickinson and J.D. Simo were going to collaborate on an album together. I have been an avid follower of Luther’s for quite a while, and became a fan of J.D.’s after catching a live performance of him opening up for Tab Benoit last year. The two forces first played together while touring with Phil Lesh and Friends. They discovered they both had a lot of the same influences and musical alignments. Although their approaches to playing guitar is vastly different, they found their styles complemented each other very much so. Simo and Dickinson joined forces, bringing drummer Adam Abrashoff onboard to complete the band and recorded Do the Rump at Simo’s home studio in Nashville.  The album has a strong hill-country blues presence. It collides the familiar with the unfamiliar and slow-simmers the results in a swampy goodness.

They pour a beautifully haunting groove into JJ Cale’s “Right Down There” from his 1972 album Really. With Abrashoff’s notorious beat laying the tracks, a lush dose of greasy slide guitar and heavy fuzz-laden guitar breathes a new glorious life into the song. “Lonesome Road” is downright amazing. It conjures images in my head of Hendrix and SRV playing together in a smoky, whiskey-soaked juke joint in the middle of Mississippi. I dig the John Lee Hooker cover of “Serve Me Right to Suffer”. Served in a bowlful of hypnotic North Mississippi hill country blues, it truly becomes an entirely different song. I find it fascinating to hear the results of mashing Junior Kimbrough’s “Do the Rump” and Fred McDowell’s “Louise” together and backed with a Fela Kuti-inspired afro-beat. “Do the Rump Louise”, a nearly eight-minute-long performance is quickly absorbed into my inner being. I love every bit of it. The album ends with an extraordinary extended ten-minute jam taking on R.L. Burnside’s “Peaches” for another healthy dose of music for the soul.

Do the Rump is everything I hoped this album would be and more. I truly hope to hear more musical collaborations between Simo and Dickinson.

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For more information about J.D. Simo, visit his website at simo.fm

 

For more information about Luther Dickinson, visit his website at lutherdickinson.com

 

For more information about Forty Below Records, visit their website at fortybelowrecords.com

 

#703 : Ping Rose - Conjure Man (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – New Sun Music

By Phillip Smith; Sep. 14, 2024

 

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Conjure Man, the second release from Memphis-based singer/guitarist Ping Rose is definitely suited to be his break-out album. There’s a certain freshness to his style which I enjoy immensely as he seemingly draws influence from favorite artists like Jimi Hendrix, Albert King, Robert Plant, and Stevie Wonder.

I love way he approaches the slide guitar on the opening song “Cloverhill Stomp”. This rootsy country-blues instrumental is an absolutely fabulous listen. This rolls right in a real-deal blues track “Don’t Drink Me Dry”. Fearless vocals and his amazing guitar mastery make this track a hands-down favorite. Title-track “Conjure Man” beautifully shines a light on his soulful side. His soft guitar approach pairs sweetly with the Stevie Wonder-esque tone in his vocals. When “Salty” hits, I feel the Led Zeppelin presence within every note. Ping immaculately captures that Plant-style rasp in his voice with that slow-dripping blues we loved to hear Page dish out. It’s simply amazing. The smooth sounds of the George-Benson-friendly “Careful What You Wish For” pops nicely with the splash of funk.

Conjure Man is such a wonderful album, I’m certain the world will be hearing a lot more from Ping Rose in the near future.

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For more information about Ping Rose, visit his website at https://www.pingroseplays.com/

 

Find Ping Rose on Spotify too!

 

#686 : Eliza Neals - Colorcrimes (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – E.H. Records

By Phillip Smith; May 25, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Detroit blues-rocker Eliza Neals is an artist who has secured a spot among my favorites. She pours an abundant amount of talent and creativity into her performances and songwriting, cultivating lasting, memorable songs. Her latest album Colorcrimes has swept me off my feet with its nine all-original tracks. With Neals on lead vocals and piano, Michael Puwal returns as lead guitarist for the brunt of the album.

The record leads off with a delicious serving of swampy slide guitar on “Heal This Land”. The song hearkens back to southern spirituals and delivers a much-needed message for the world today. I absolutely love that Neals turned what started out as a sour note at a show in Michigan into the riveting hit of a song “Banned in Jackson”. Mark “Muggy Do” Leach (Buddy Miles) guests on B3 giving the song a gorgeous full sound. I can feel the emotion pouring out of Neals as she belts out the title-track “Colorcrimes”, a beautiful song of unity. The wailing guitar performance from Puwal brilliantly joins Neals as a second vocal. It’s an amazing listen. Guitarist Brian Lord (Mitch Ryder) joins in on the infectious fun of “Love Dr. Love”. This cooking track takes a small break for a New Orleans-style, horn-fueled second-line to honor the late, great Barrett Strong Jr. (Feb. 5, 1941 – Jan. 28, 2023) who cowrote this and two other songs on this album with Neals. “Sugar Daddy” is a blast to hear as it takes a dive into the world of Motown and Phil Spector’s early girl-group years.  Topped off with the sounds of sax from Tyrone Smith and a psychedelic-laced dose of guitar from King Solomon Hicks, this track is a sure-fire winner. I’m very happy to see “Candy Store”, the 2023 single which lit up blues radio last year, land on this release. It’s a fun-as-hell listen filled with confectionery double entendres.

From my first listen to Colorcrimes, I knew it would be an album I will have on heavy-rotation for a long while. It’s one of those records that demands to be heard.             

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For more information about Eliza Neals, visit her website at https://www.elizaneals.com

 

Follow the link below for more PhillyCheeze reviews featuring Eliza Neals:

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=eliza+neals

 

Eliza Neals’ Colorcrimes is also available on Bandcamp

#682 : Alastair Greene - Standing Out Loud (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

2024 – Ruf Records

Release Date : May 17, 2024

 

By Phillip Smith; May 11, 2024

 Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Alastair Greene is one of those artists I am always excited to hear new music from. He really does elevate blues-rock to a whole new level. In the past, Greene has worked with other favorites of mine such as Alan Parsons, and Sugaray Rayford. For his latest and eleventh solo record Standing Out Loud, Greene has enlisted the extraordinary J.D. Simo to co-produce and engineer this off-the-chain listening experience.

The churning, driving rhythm of “Slow Burn” pulls me in tight for a tasty dish of ZZ-Top-inspired Texas blues slathered in a spicy slide sauce. “In Trouble”  is an incredible-sounding blues-rocker. If KISS played blues, this track definitely represents what it would sound like. It’s indeed a favorite. I love hearing that swampy slide guitar as it echoes out from “The Last to Cry”. Greene slows it way down for “Rusty Dagger” for an amazing listen where notes seem to hang in mid-air. His guitar-mastery absolutely shines on this one. A stellar cover of Rory Gallagher’s “Bullfrog Blues” brings this record to its finish. It truly is a smashing performance.

It's refreshing to hear such an unbridled approach to blues as Greene and Simo exhibit in this recording. It’s raw, it’s to the point, and it rocks.

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For more information about Alastair Greene, visit his website at www.alastairgreene.com 

Follow the link below for more PhillyCheeze reviews featuring Alastair Greene:
PhillyCheeze's Rock & Blues Reviews: Search results for alastair greene (phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com)                 

                       

#677 : Deb Ryder - Live and Havin' Fun (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

Deb Ryder

Live and Havin’ Fun

2024 – Vizztone Label Group

By Phillip Smith; April 27, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Live and Havin’ Fun, Deb Ryder’s first live album and sixth overall, embraces the Blues and captivates me with her unbridled vocal performances. Written and produced by Deb Ryder and her husband and bass guitarist Ric W. Ryder, this fourteen-track album was recorded at The Mint in Los Angeles. It features all original material with two brand new songs which have not been previously recorded. Backing Ryder is Johnny Lee Schell, Tony Braunagel, Jim Pugh, Ric W. Ryder, Tex Nakamura, Alan Maggini, Lon Price and Paul Litteral. Special guests include Albert Lee, Joe Sublett, Joey Delgado, Artur Menezes and Big Liou Johnson.

Once the horns hit that driving R&B rhythm full-blast on “Fun Never Hurt No One”, I am totally onboard for the listen. The track certainly harkens back to that Sixties soul sound. Following up with “Enjoy the Ride”, Ryder keeps the timeline moving on to the later Sixties, when psychedelia and music melded together. It’s fabulous the way the harp dances with the keys and guitar licks on that pulsing beat and bassline. Her vocals are smooth as silk on the sultry and timeless “You Might Just Get Lucky”. I dig the funky “Get Ready” with its revolutionary message of love. I very much enjoy when Ryder slows it down for “Guilty as Sin”. The song is topped with a smokin’ platter of harp and is definitely baptized in the blues. The sound of horns adds a nice degree of brightness to “Coming Home”. They surely add to the sense of happiness and positive energy which freely flows off it. Blues and drinking songs have gone hand in hand for many years. Ryder has is all summed up in “Any Bottle on the Shelf”. As a bonus, Albert Lee steps in on guitar along with Johnny Lee,

Listening to Deb Ryder’s Live and Havin’ Fun is like having a mini blues party wherever you are.  It’s recorded live and it sure is fun.

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 For more information about Deb Ryder, visit her website at https://www.debryder.com/ 

#675 : Cryin' Out Loud - Play Loud & Smoke Often (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – Cryin’ Out Loud

By Phillip Smith; April 21, 2024

 

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Play Loud & Smoke Often, the brand-new release from the Maine bluesters Cryin’ Out Loud is a smokin’ ten-track album of blues. It certainly grabbed my attention quickly and by surprise. The band, fronted by Brandon Stallard on lead vocals and guitar, is also comprised of Ben Chute on guitar and slide, Jim Fratini on bass, Erik Lawrence on saxophone, Mark “Bluesboy” Kanter on harmonica, Brooks Milgate on keys, Jeff Glidden on drums, and Amy Telllier on backing vocals.  With Grammy award winning guitarist/songwriter/producer Paul Nelson* at the helm as producer and additional guitarist, the record has a great sound.  

Cryin Out Loud ignites the fuse and lifts off with a burst of high-energy blues on “I Smoke Cigars and I Play the Blues”. Once I hear this song, I know I’m in good hands for a enjoyable listen. The electricity in the air remains strong as the life of a bluesman continues on in song with “I’m Gonna Drink My Way to Memphis”. Stallard’s whiskey-soaked vocals are perfectly suited for this ripping track where the band absolutely nails the performance. I love the Allman-esque jam on “Instead”. Nelson’s guitar performance is simply amazing.  “Tell Her” is sweetly steeped in a soul rock and masterfully takes an approach to the song which seemingly blends the sounds of Bob Seger with the Allman Brothers. As Stallard’s vocals kick in on “Moonshine Lover”, immediately following Lawrence’s big brassy blasts on sax, I’m taken back to the sounds of Bruce Springsteen with the E Street Band featuring Clarence Clemons. The big-band sound on this track surely makes for damn good time.

Crying Out Loud’s Play Loud & Smoke Often is loaded with stellar musicianship and brightly shines with glowing charisma. The album just gets better and better with every listen.

 

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* Paul Nelson passed away March 10, 2024 from a heart attack

 

For more information about Cryin’ Out Loud, visit their website at https://www.cryinoutloudmusic.com/

#672 : Linwood Taylor - Two Sides (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – Zavuya Music LLC

 By Phillip Smith; April 7, 2024

 Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

  

There’s a huge retro-blues appeal to the new album from Washington DC area bluesman Linwood Taylor. Taylor, whose musical influences include Muddy Waters, Albert Collins, and Luther Allison recorded Two Sides live in a couple of sessions in 2021 at two different venues. One location featured five songs from the electric set, and the other featured five songs from the acoustic set. With Taylor mastering guitars and vocals, his band is comprised of Steve Wolf on bass, Joe Wells on drums, and Sol Roots on guitars and backing vocals.

The electric side begins with some party-infused Chicago blues as they roll out a smokin’ cover of Bonnie Lee’s “I’m Good”. With a rocking soulful riff, “Safe to Say” quickly draws me in. The energy reminds me of the Black Crowes in a way. The riveting swamp blues of Slim Harpo’s “Shake Your Hip” is a treat to hear. It is fearless and raw, just like the blues should be.  

The slide on dobro puts a smile on my face as the acoustic side starts with a timeless delta blues style original “Love My Baby”. This side heats up even more as Taylor takes on the classic “Rollin’ and Tumblin’” and makes it his own. For acoustic blues, a Robert Johnson track is a must, and Taylor does an excellent job of performing “Dust My Broom”.

Fans of real-deal blues will definitely want to check Two Sides from Linwood Taylor out. It’s as solid as it gets.   

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Visit Linwood Taylor's Bandcamp page to purchase the recording.

 

#671 : John Primer and Bob Corritore - Crawlin' Kingsnake (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – Vizztone Label Group
By Phillip Smith; April 5, 2024

Release Date : .Mar. 29, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

There are not many artists around who instill Chicago blues authenticity into their music as Blues Hall-of-Famer John Primer and Bob Corritore do. Paired together for the fourth time since 2013, this dynamic duo returned to the studios and cut yet another fabulous album. Crawlin’ Kingsnake is the name, and it contains a dozen ripping tracks. With Corritore on harp and Primer on guitar and vocals, they are joined by bassist Bob Stroger, Jimi “Primetime” Smith on second guitar, Anthony Geraci on piano and Wes Starr on drums.

After the smoke clears from the opening James Cotton song “Take a Message”, their title-track cover of John Lee Hooker’s “Crawlin’ Kingsnake” digs its claws in deep. Primer’s experienced vocals and precision guitar are fantastically supported by Geraci and the rhythm section. Then they roll right into Willie Dixon’s “Down in the Bottom” with Corritore keeping the song barreling down the tracks on harp. It sounds fantastic. They bring the fire to “Hiding Place”, a Primer original from his 1991 album Poor Man’s Blues. The song absolutely cooks. When they hit B.B. King’s “Chains and Things”, they play it sweet and slow. This one really brings me into my blues zone. When the big entrance of guitar and keys on Muddy Waters’ “Rosalee Blues” kick in, and I hear Primer start belting out the lyrics, I’m gob smacked for a simmering delightful listen. I absolutely love their performance of Magic Slim’s “Gravel Road”. It’s a signed, sealed, and delivered favorite.

It's hard to beat the lineup of artists on Crawlin’ Kingsnake. This album is about as real-deal blues as an album can get. I highly recommend it,

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For more information about these artists, visit their websites at : https://johnprimerblues.com/ and https://bobcorritore.com/

 

For other PhillyCheeze review regarding John Primer and Bob Corritore, follow these links:

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=John+Primer

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=Bob+Corritore

#667 : Rocky Athas - Livin' My Best Life (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – Cherryburst Records

By Phillip Smith; Mar. 16, 2024

Release Date : Mar. 10, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Rocky Athas is one of my all-time favorite blues-rock guitarists. He’s played with musical legends John Mayall, Glenn Hughes, Buddy Miles and Black Oak Arkansas and whether performing with someone else or recording his own solo work, he always manages to amaze me. Livin’ My Best Life is his latest release. It contains ten bodacious tracks of high-octane music and I absolutely love it. He puts the ‘rock’ in blues-rock. With Rocky on lead guitar, his son Rocky Athas II on bass guitar, Walter Watson on drums and lead vocals, and his son Jared Watson on guitar and vocals, the band could not be a tighter unit.

Title-track “Livin’ My Best Life” gets the album rolling with a big juicy dose of Texas-style blues with a ZZ Top vibe. Hearing Rocky shred on this one makes for a damn good listen. The fun ensues when they break out a smokin’ cover of Don Nix’s “Black Cat Moan”. I love how Rocky coaxes the most amazing tones out of his vintage 1969 Gibson Les Paul Custom Black Beauty using a vintage Vox Wah Wah to pay tribute to the late Jeff Beck on this track. From its infectious riff to its poignant lyrics, “Dark Days” is a fantastic original spawned from fatherly advice about remembering who we are regardless of the insanity surrounding us. This is indeed a favorite. It made me happy to hear John Mayall making a guest appearance on harmonica for the spectacular cover of “Long Gray Mare” originally recorded by Fleetwood Mac with Peter Green in 1968. He can sure make that harp sing. The solo guitar Rocky creates is outstanding. For an unexpected treat, I love the cover of Bob Dylan’s “Watching the River Flow”. The original was produced by Leon Russell and recorded at Blues Rock Studio in New York City at a session in 1971. From the beginning couple of bars of “Walk in My Shadow”, I am immersed in the groove created by Rocky II and Walter Watson. There is not a Free cover that ever sounded better to me. I feel as if Rocky is pouring everything he has into this performance, and it sounds terrific. First recorded by Freddie King in 1971, the cover “Palace of the King” makes for a riveting closing song. The twists and turns, Rocky takes with his guitar keeps me tightly glued to this track.

With Livin’ My Best Life, Rocky Athas wins me over once again.  This album certainly gets my highest recommendation.  

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For more information about the Rocky Athas, visit this website : https://www.rockyathas.com/

For past reviews mentioning Rocky Athas on PhillyCheezeBlues :

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=rocky+athas

 

 

 

 

#666 : One Dime Band - Side Hustle (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

One Dime Band

Side Hustle

2024 – Toneblanket Records

By Phillip Smith; Mar. 9, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

One Dime Band from Boston, Massachusetts has caught my full attention with their third and latest album Side Hustle. In serving up thirteen all-original tracks, the band delivers a savory bowl of musical gumbo made from assorted blues sub-genres gathered along the Mississippi River from St. Louis, through Memphis, and down to the Big Easy.    

The core of the band is an acoustic duo comprised of John Brauchler on guitars, resonator, and banjo and Paul Gallucci on vocals, harmonica, percussion, and rhythm guitar. In 2022 they were winners of the Boston Blues Society Blues Challenge in the solo/duo category.  In 2023 they were winners of the Granite State Blues Society Challenge in the same category.  In 2024, they entered the International Blues Challenge in Memphis and made it to the Semi-Finals. Their backing band consists of Romeo Dubois on drums, Paul Kochanski on upright bass and electric bass, Alizon Lissance on piano, organ, and accordion, Ilana Katz Katz on fiddle, Holly Harris on percussion, Johnny Blue Horn on trumpet, Mario Perrett on saxophone, with Robin Hathaway and Tim Curry on backing vocals.

A blast of horns and a buttery Stax-fueled groove kicks the door in with a fist-full of funk on title-track “Side Hustle”. I absolutely love this one. Visions of cypress trees wading in the swampy waters of Mississippi come to my mind with each listen of “Blackfoot Sun”. Powered by Brauchler on resonator and, Gallucci on harp, this favorite is topped with a delectable fiddle performance by Katz. I’m drawn in to Kochanski’s crawling, infectious bassline on “Dr. Shine”.  It remarkably creates an ominous feeling of impending doom in this brilliant blues song about escaping reality. “Soul to Keep”, a slow-cooked blues duet with the lovely Robin Hathaway, sweeps me off my feet.  Brauchler digs his heels in deep and releases some gorgeous tones on this one. The smell of late Sixties funk wafts through the air on the instrumental “Rib Grease”.  An intoxicating rhythm, blasts of brass, and a groovy riff all adds up to a fabulous listen. 

Loaded with musical twists and turns, Side Hustle is terrific from beginning to end.

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I wouldn’t say that review number 666 is a milestone, but the number does have some significance to some. In order to establish the connection to this review, I will share this story. When I first saw the cd cover featuring a pool table with red and green neon-lettered windows behind, a wave of familiarity washed over. I knew I had played on at that table before, I just wasn’t immediately sure where.  I then made it a mission to figure this out. The letters on the windows in reverse order were the first three letters of a place I have frequented occasionally on Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee called The Absinthe Room. Once I located photos of The Absinthe Room on Google, I was able to verify that the cover photo was in fact taken from the inside of that exact establishment.

This is where the synchronicity begins. A piece of blues historical trivia I know about this place is that at one time this was Hooks Brothers Photography Studio. Hooks Brothers took the only known studio photo of the legendary blues player Robert Johnson. And for those who don’t know, Johnson allegedly sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads to achieve his guitar mastery. And that’s the tie-in to review #666.

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These photos featuring the Absinthe Room on Beale Street are ones I took of this location myself on two different visits to Memphis.

 

·       * Photos by Phillip Smith

#664 : Brothers Brown - Nowhere Left to Go (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – Woodward Avenue Records

Release Date Jan 12, 2024

By Phillip Smith; Mar. 2, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

It’s been eight years since Brothers Brown released their debut album Dusty Road. Their follow-up record Nowhere Left to Go recently landed and is very much worth the wait. Founded by Grammy-nominated keyboardist/synth-master Brother Paul Brown of the Waterboys, and two-time Grammy-winning singer-songwriter/guitarist Paul Brown (George Benson, Al Jarreau, Norman Brown) the band also includes bassist/rhythm guitarist/vocalist David Santos (Billy Joel, John Fogerty, Elton John) and drummer/percussionist/guitarist Peter Young (Loretta Lynn, The Burrito Brothers). Together, they approach music much like Grateful Dead and Little Feat pushing genre-specific boundaries of rock, blues funk, and country.

I’m captivated from the beginning as the record rolls in on a super-melancholy wave of regret and loneliness with “Wrong Side of Town”. The way the guitar notes seem to float in mid-air with a Mark Knopfler-ish way sounds amazing as they naturally join forces with the keys. “Junior’s Back” puts me in a happy space with every listen. Once the bridge hits, I am thrown into the Phish-zone, and relish every bit of its expansive and wonderful jam. The Brothers Brown zero in on the Sixties Chicago blues sound with “My Baby”. It hits the bullseye dead center. “Chitlin’ Pickin’” is a grateful instrumental which fills the sky with sunshine and smiles. A driving rhythm slathered with grease and a cookin’ pulse pulls me into the delectable blues-rock anthem “Black and Blue”.      

The great Bobby Rush joins the Brothers Brown on title-track “Nowhere Left to Go” making for a soulful, funky treat.  Rush’s history of working with Brother Paul Brown stretches back for over twenty years, culminating in four albums, three Blues Music Awards, a Grammy nomination, and multiple concert tours.

Nowhere Left to Go receives a high recommendation from me. It’s a terrific album that just gets better with every listen.                                     

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For more information about the artist, visit this website : https://wbaentertainment.com/brothers-brown/

 

Read the PhillyCheeze review for Brothers Brown’s Dusty Road album 

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2016/03/brothers-brown-dusty-road.html

#663 : Memphis & the Misfits - Halfway to Number Nine (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

2023 – Memphis & the Misfits

By Phillip Smith; Feb. 23, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

Loaded with a fistful of swagger, Halfway to Number Nine, the debut album from Memphis & the Misfits has really caught my attention. Singer/songwriter/standup & electric bassist Gary Davis aka ‘Memphis’ explains “Every song on this album is based on real life events or inspirations…”. That explains why I can feel the DNA of the Mississippi Delta intertwined with every song. Born in the Delta and based out of Nashville, Tennessee, singer/songwriter/bassist Davis aka “Memphis” is joined by his band the Misfits comprised of guitarist Ryan Sise, drummer Dave Halstead, and additional guitarist Chris Voorhees.  

Davis pines for the slow-paced living in Number Nine, Arkansas as he brings the listener into the album with his cooking title track “Halfway to Number Nine”. Hearing Sise’s slide guitar on “Walk That Line” is an absolute treat. I love the way he baptizes this song in swamp juice.  The smoldering Texas blues of “Good Love” hits with a solid ZZ-Top/SRV-inspired wallop. It sounds great. Davis conjures up memories of good times with the swing-blues of “Ride these Mississippi Backroads”. I’m rapidly hooked and reeled in to “Hongry”, caught in the net of its infectious riff. I love when Sise lets loose and unleashes his blues-soaked performance.               

Memphis & the Misfits’ Halfway to Number Nine is an impressive eight tracks of original delta roots music. I’m already looking forward to their next album. 

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Gary Davis aka 'Memphis'

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

 

#654 : Patti Parks - Come Sing With Me (featuring Johnny Rawls) (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – Vizztone Label Group

By Phillip Smith; Jan 6., 2024

Release Date : Jan. 5, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

When Patti Parks sings, her voice pulls me right in to the song.  I love to hear her sing.  Her latest album Come Sing With Me is a wonderful album of soul blues.  Muti-Blues Music Award recipient Johnny Rawls produces, arranges horns, and appears on several songs contributing his smooth vocal and guitar stylings.   With Rawls at the helm, the album surely has a vintage southern charm.  The recording also features guests Anthony Geraci on piano, and Richard Rosenblatt on harmonica.

Drummer Hugh Arther and bassist Tony Cammilleri lay down a buttery groove for Parks and Rawls’ duet “I’m in Love With You Baby”.  Topped off with a nice blast of horns, and a Steve Cropper-ish guitar performance from Aaron Flynt, the song shines bright and is perfectly fitted for an opening track.  From the opening sounds of the swirling organ played by Aaron Blackmon, I’m grooving to “Sing Around the World”.  It is a feel-good anthem I can’t help but smile to.  Flynt, along with Guy Nirelli on organ, create a sort of Stevie Ray Vaughan meets Ray Manzarek vibe for “I’m Sorry”.  Parks sings this Texas blues masterpiece with an unbridled fearlessness and she sounds terrific.  The sultry double-entendres Parks unleashes on “Hamburger Man” add spice to an already hot bowl of slow simmering blues.  I love the way the heavy bassline and Rosenblatt’s harp accompaniment fit tightly in with Flynt’s smokin’ guitar.  Parks’ voice sounds amazing on “Why”.  Her classic soul-singer approach injects a sense of timelessness into the song.  When Parks and Rawls join forces as a duet on Rawls’ “How Much Longer”, the stars are perfectly aligned.  I love the bursts of sax that pepper their smooth-as-silk performance.

Patti Parks’ Come Sing With Me featuring Johnny Rawls is a terrific album to break the new year in with.  I highly recommend giving it a listen.                  

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

 

 

#644 : Ghalia Volt - Shout Sister Shout! (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2023 – Ruf Records

By Phillip Smith; Nov. 11, 2023

 

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

I have been enamored by the music of Ghalia Volt since her album with Johnny Mastro and Mamas Boys Let the Demons Out crossed my desk for review five years ago.  She is a musical force on guitar and vocals with a mastery of songwriting.  Ghalia’s talent shines bright with on her latest release Shout Sister Shout!.  The album is loaded with a dozen all-original tracks.  Each one is a gem.  Backing Ghalia is Danny Frankel on drums/percussion, Ben Alleman on keys, and special guest on guitar David Catching.   

With a funky, slide-slathered riff, the record opens with “Every Cloud”.  The Ray Manzarek-inspired keys Alleman contributes makes for a groovy touch.  “Can’t Afford to Die” pulls me in fast and tight with its upbeat delivery and dire, matter-of-fact lyrics.  “Insomnia” is a true masterpiece.  Ghalia’s dobro performance is beautifully guided with Alleman’s poly-rhythm beats, setting an Eastern musical landscape for this wonderful blues song.  Catching’s cosmic guitar splashes add a psychedelic Pink Floyd feel.  The North Mississippi Hill Country sound of “Can’t Have it All” opens up in a genius way.  I think of the moment in The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy is instantly transported from a black and white world to one that boasts the full glory of Technicolor.  With guitar in hand, Eddie 9V makes a guest stop on “Hop on a Ride” for a searing blues performance fit for a juke-joint.    

Shout Sister Shout! is a stellar album that stays strong from beginning to end.  It is such a terrific release; I feel it should land Ghalia on several awards lists.     

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

 

Check out other PhillyCheeze reviews for Ghalia Volt at : https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=Ghalia