PhillyCheeze's Rock & Blues Reviews: Lee Williams

Friday, April 7, 2023

#606 : Tony Holiday - Motel Mississippi (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

2023 – Forty Below

By Phillip Smith; April 7, 2023

Release Date : April 14, 2023

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

From his Porch Session albums, to his studio releases, I always find the music of Tony Holiday to be abundantly filled with juicy harp performances and swampy grooves. His latest album, Motel Mississippi fits the bill again, and I really dig it. When I read the album was recorded at Zebra Ranch in Coldwater, Mississippi, I knew it was going to be special. With Holiday on vocals and harmonica, AJ Fullerton on guitar, Terrence Grayson on bass, Lee Williams on drums, and Dave Gross on guitars, organs, percussion, snare, and synth, the album has a rich texture.

This eight-track recording rolls out strong in a funky outlaw style with Victor Wainwright at the helm of a Wurlitzer on “Rob and Steal”. They do a wonderful job of covering this Paul Wine Jones song. It’s infectious as hell. The sweet sound of Sixties blues fills the nooks and crannies of Holiday’s original “Trouble”. Outside the nooks and crannies though, the song is a mind-bending experience loaded with musical psychedelia from Gross on guitar and Wainwright on the wah clav. Short but really sweet is “She’s So Cold”, clocking in at just under two and a half minutes long, the groove on this one would make a mesmerizing extended jam. The slide guitar of Aubrey McCrady makes for a fierce solo on “Just As Gone”. It sounds great up against Gross on the Hammond, and Williams’ driving beat. “Yazoo River” brings the album to a spirited close. I really enjoy hearing Tony rip it up on harp. It doesn’t get more Mississippi than this.

Motel Mississippi is one of those albums one will want to listen to in its entirety. It is splendid from end to end.

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TRACK LISTINGS

1. Rob and Steal

2. Get By

3. Trouble

4. She’s So Cold

5. Just As Gone

6. Nobody But You

7. You Know Who I Am

8. Yazoo River

For more information about Tony Holiday visit his website at : https://tonyholidaymusic.com

Check out other PhillyCheeze reviews for Tony Holiday at : https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=Tony+Holiday

Monday, August 15, 2022

#569 > Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival - 2022 (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival - 2022

Clarksdale, Mississippi

August 11-14, 2022

By Phillip Smith; August 15, 2022

Original Source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

I had a terrific time on my third trip down to Clarksdale, Mississippi for the Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival. The festivities began Thursday evening at the Grits, Greens & BBQ VIP party where we were treated to a delicious meal. Live entertainment was provided by Stan Street and Jaxx Nassar, Sean “Bad” Apple, and Terry “Big T” Williams. It was an absolutely fabulous time.

After catching a few live acts (Steve Kolbus, Jaxx Nassar, Lala Craig, and Lucious Spiller) at the Ground Zero Blues Club on Friday afternoon, court was held at the main stage next to the Delta Blues Museum. The artist lineup was outstanding. It featured The Delta Blues Museum Band, Heavy Suga & the SweetTones, Lucious Spiller, Anthony “Big A” Sherrod, and James “Super Chikan” Johnson.

Saturday, I started off at Ground Zero for more blues from Steve Kolbus, Mark Miller, Walter Busby, and Lee Williams. Afterwards, I headed off to Cat Head to catch their 20^th year festivities with a lovely live front-porch performance from Australia “Honeybee” Jones and 19^th Street Red. Knowing Jaxx Nassar was playing again at Ground Zero, we headed back to catch one more set from her, and staying for Big Train and the Loco Motives from Norman Oklahoma was a must. Immediately following their captivating performance, it was time to settle back down again at the main stage for Brad Money Maker, Mark “Mule Man” Massey, and riveting set from Jimbo Mathus.