2023 – Clover Music Group
By Phillip Smith; Oct. 7, 2023
Release Date : Oct.
20, 2023
Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com
Dockside, the fifth album from Jonah Tolchin swiftly swept me off my feet with its real-deal North Mississippi blues, and sweet southern soul. Co-produced by Tolchin and Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars), and recorded at Dockside Studios in Maurice, Louisiana, twelve-track recording of all-original songs signifies the first release on Tolchin’s brand new label Clover Music Group. With Tolchin on vocals, lead guitar, and harmonica, and Dickinson on rhythm guitar, lead guitar, and clave, the other performers are comprised of drummer Terence Higgins (Warren Haynes), bassist Nic Coolidge, keyboardist Chris Joyner (Ben Harper), pianist Carey Frank (Tedeschi Trucks Band), vocalist Chavonne Stewart (Jackson Brown) and vocalist Marley Monroe.
When the Mississippi Hill Country sounds of “Blues With a Feeling” begin to flow from the first track, I knew this was going to be a great listen. This funky and hypnotizing song sinks its teeth right in. Without letting up, Tolchin pours a delightful glassful of Muscle Shoals-inspired music in “Searching For My Soul”. This amalgam of blues, soul, and southern-roots-rock is finely crafted with insightful lyrics and an infectious hook. Chills shoot down my spine when Tolchin opens with ‘I was born without a soul and a heart as dark as coal..” in “Save Me (From Myself)”. I latch on quickly to the dark groove running through this track. It’s a fabulous song. Sometimes the mind is racing on auto-pilot and sleep begins to become a thing of the past. Tolchin brilliantly reflects upon the whole experience in “Can’t Close My Eyes”. Dickinson steps in on lead guitar for “Suffering Well”. Strong breaths of Bentonia blues are released from this masterpiece, as scorching guitar licks burst from its soul. The piano accompaniment from Frank sounds terrific as it glides along the funky rhythm on “Mama Don’t Worry”. My ears perk up even more as Tolchin dazzles me on slide guitar.
The blues of Dockside is as authentic as it gets. Tolchin’s music on this album had my full attention from beginning to end. It flowed from song to song in a perfectly constructed fashion. This record will surely be noted as one of my favorite albums of 2023 and beyond.
For more information about the artist, visit this website : https://www.jonahtolchin.com
