2024 – Do Good Records
By Phillip Smith; Nov. 30, 2024
Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com
Kamama, the debut album from Washington, D.C.-based blues
artist Carly Harvey is quite special. I love how her Indigenous
roots shine through a carefully-curated mix of soul, blues, and jazz. Each of
the eleven tracks are written by Harvey and performed with beauty and grace.
Appearing with her on this recording is Jonathan Sloane, and WALKING
EAGLE on guitar, Mike Tony Echols, Patrick Thornton, and Sean
Hurley on bass, Deren Blessman and Leland Nakamura on drums, Coleman
Williams and WALKING EAGLE on percussion, Wes Lanich and Daniel
Clarke on keys, Danny Davis, Mario D’ Ambrosio, Kevin
Cerovich, Ben Ford on horns, and Dana Nearing and WALKING
EAGLE on backing vocals. Special guests appearing on the album include Joe
Louis Walker, Doug Woolverton, Sean Hurley, Annika
Chambers, Dave Keller, and WALKING EAGLE.
The album begins with “Native Scat” a short introductory track in which Harvey delivers an amazing performance of Native vocables delivered in a fusion of delta blues and Indigenous percussion. WALKING EAGLE’s slide guitar performance is deliciously swampy. “Mean Old Woman” slides in next on a riveting wave of funky, horn-accompanied blues with Joe Louis Walker on guitar. It’s a terrific song, and Walker makes me smile as he pours his blues-filled magic on top. I absolutely love the Sixties-soul sound on “Misery”. Harvey’s vocals shine with pure delight and remind me very much of singing-legend Etta James. With special accompaniment from Doug Woolverton on trumpet, Harvey marvelously sings her all-original torch song “Please Do That To Me”. The song hits me with absolute bliss.
After looking up “Kamama”, the name of the title-track, I found the word to have dual meanings. One, a Cherokee name for girls which means “butterfly” which can represent hope, joy, and transformation. This gives a deeper meaning to the album art, which features a butterfly on both the front and back cover. The other meaning is of Kenyan origin, and is a plant known as Portulaca oleracea. It is used for food and medicine. With WALKING EAGLE on hand drum, and backing vocals, this short-in-length song is a lovely, glory-filled tribute to a girl named Kamama.
Alongside Harvey for the stirring and poignant track “Human Too”, is Dave Keller and Annika Chambers. Both guests share lead vocals, and Keller also takes on lead guitar. Kamama comes to a close with “Native Scat Reprise. With Harvey on vocals and hand drum, she is backed by WALKING EAGLE on flute. This short song dives deep into my core.
Carly Harvey’s Kamama earns my highest recommendation. It’s beautiful from beginning to end.
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For more information about Carly
Harvey, visit her website @ https://www.carlyharvey.com/
Available on Bandcamp
