2017 – Swing Suit Records
By Phillip Smith;
March 10, 2018
One can feel the heart and soul poured into the
latest release from “Michissippi” Mick Kolassa. Double
Standards, a wonderful thirteen track album, celebrates some of the
greatest blues songs to have been recorded.
Backing Kolassa in the studio is guitarist Jeff Jensen,
bassist Bill Ruffino, drummer James Cunningham, and organist Chris
Stephenson. For this venture, Kolassa also enlists
the participation of several notable musicians, who today are busy carving their
own unique path to present the Blues.
These artists are Tullie Brae, Erica Brown, Annika
Chambers, Heather Crosse, Tas Cru, Gracie Curran, David
Dunavent, Alice Hasan, Eric Hughes, Colin John, Jeremy
Powell, Patti Parks, Sugaray Rayford, and Victor
Wainwright.
A big gracious nod goes out to the legendary bluesman
Willie Dixon. Performing as a
duet with Kolassa, Erica Brown holds back nothing as she pours
her soulful vocals into the classic “Spoonful”.
I love Jenson’s guitar performance and Stephenson’s organ
arrangement on this track. The lovely Heather
Crosse joins in on “I Just Want to Make Love To You”. Memphis’ Eric Hughes lays a heaping
helping of luscious harmonica on this track.
It sounds great. The dynamic duo
of Kolassa and Sugaray Rayford double the ante on “300 Pounds of
Heavenly Joy”, originally recorded by Howlin Wolf, to bring a grand
total of “600 Pounds of Heavenly Joy” to the table. Fortified with the guitar prowess of both Colin
John, and Mike Kolassa, this track is a big bowlful of fun.
Victor
Wainwright splendidly takes the vocal reins on Tampa Red’s
1928 hokum “It’s Tight Like That”, with Hughes icing the song with
harmonica and Alice Hasan accompanying on violin. Tas Cru lends his definitive voice to the
Jimmy Cox penned standard, “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out”. This timeless classic is beautifully
accompanied by Hason on violin and Jeremy Powell on piano. Eric Hughes gives a smooth performance
Big Bill Broonzy’s “Key to the Highway”. It’s very nice indeed.
Double
Standards comes to a joyful conclusion in a full-fledged jamboree. Each singer takes a turn on “Ain’t Nobody’s
Business”, spinning their own off-the-cuff lyrics. It’s a great track to close the album with,
as the energy of the whole collective is funneled into this closing song.
All Proceeds from Mick
Kolassa’s albums will go to support two of these
important programs: The HART Fund
and Generation Blues.
THE
HART FUND (Handy Artists Relief Trust) is for
Blues musicians and their families in financial need due to a broad range of
health concerns. The Fund provides for acute, chronic and preventive medical
and dental care as well as funeral and burial expenses.
GENERATION
BLUES provides scholarship to artists under the age
of 21 to study at reputable camps, seminars and workshop programs such as Port
Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival, Augusta Heritage Center and Fernando Jones’
Columbia College Blues Camp.
Also reviewed on Phillycheeze’s
Rock & Blues Reviews
Victor Wainwright and the WildRoots – Boom Town
Tas Cru - Simmered &
Stewed
Heather Crosse - Groovin’
at the Crosse Roads
