#527 : Joseph Veloz Presents - Joseph and the Velozians

 

2021 – Joseph Veloz/Big O Records 

By Phillip Smith; Nov. 6, 2021

 

Four years have passed since Veloz’s last release Offerings made it across my desk for review.   That was quite an impressive album.  His brand-new record Joseph and the Velozians again captures my full attention with his delightful originals and covers.  With Veloz laying down the funkiest of rhythms on bass and Funk-wah guitar, keyboardist Jim Alfredson and drummer/percussionist Donny Brown hold down the fort for the other thirteen musicians appearing in varied combinations. 

Slathered in a slow buttery groove, “Pretty is as Pretty Does” opens the album with guest Larry McCray behind the mic with his soulful vocals.  I love it when he rips it up on guitar during the bridge.  The party train continues to barrel down the line as Thornetta Davis sings Muddy Waters’ “I Got My Mojo Working”.  Carlton Washington is a beast on guitar as is Jim Alfredson on keys.  This is hands-down one of the best contemporary covers I have ever heard of this classic blues track.  Davis also delivers a velvety and soulful performance on the 2006 Gnarls Barkley hit song “Crazy”.  Veloz takes Bobby Caldwell’s “What You Won’t Do For Love” and breathes new life into the song as a funktified instrumental with a George Clinton flair.  The laid-back groove makes for a very chill listening experience. 

Joseph and the Velozians is an incredible and inspirational release.  R&B fans and funk aficionados are going to love this record.                

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PhillyCheeze Review for Joseph Veloz – Offerings : https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2017/06/joseph-veloz-offerings.html

 

PhillyCheeze Review for Thornetta Davis – Honest Woman: https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2017/02/thornetta-davis-honest-woman.html

 

 

For more information about the artist, visit this website : jmveloz.com

#524 : Larkin Poe & Nu Deco Ensemble - Paint the Roses

 

2021 – Tricki-Woo Records

By Phillip Smith; Oct. 23, 2021

I’m always excited to hear about new music from Larkin Poe.  I’ve been a fan of this duo since hearing them open for Elvis Costello at the Paramount Theater in Cedar Rapids, Iowa five years ago.  The original songs Rebecca Lovell and Megan Lovell write are beautiful, sometimes intense, and cut deep to the bone.  Lead vocalist/guitarist Rebecca captivates me with her beautiful, yet fearless voice.  The vocal harmony she shares with lap-steel wizard Megan is magical.

Paint the Roses is a seven-track release which Larkin Poe recorded live at the North Beach Bandshell in Miami, Florida on December 12, 2020 with the orchestral backing of Nu Deco Ensemble.  Once I heard their new take on Bessie Jones’ “Sometimes” which also appears on their 2018 Venom & Faith album, I knew I was in for a real treat.  The infusion of clapping hands, strings, and horns took me to church in a big way.  Next up on the track list is “Back Down South” an original off their 2020 album Self Made Man.  Megan’s lap slide is performed with perfect precision as Rebecca rips it up on guitar and delivers the song with her enchanting voice.  It sounds fantastic with the enrichment of the Nu Deco Ensemble as the song takes a dip into the Allman’s “Blue Sky” for a brief intermission.  Before diving into a four-track superfecta of songs, all off Self Made Man, Larkin Poe introduces a new song called “Mad as a Hatter”, which I absolutely adore.  The pulse of this homage to Alice in Wonderland runs with a rapid pace, and dips momentarily into psychedelic territory.  “Every Bird That Flies” is such a beautiful song, and surely earns its wings with the accompaniment from the ensemble.  I love the slow build-up of tension accomplished with the instrumentation, which is then then slowly released to send the song skyward.  Larkin Poe closes out the show in an amazing performance of “She’s a Self Made Man”.  Cloaked in a horn-laden suit, this hard blues-rocker is a perfect fit for a future 007 theme song.  

I knew I would like Paint the Roses, but I was surprised at just how much I liked it.  This is surely a record folks will want to add to their collection.         

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 For more information about the artist, visit this website : www.larkinpoe.com

#506 : Reverend Freakchild - Supramundane Blues

 

2021 – Treated & Released Records

By Phillip Smith; July 3, 2021

 

Supramundane Blues is the latest recording from the good Reverend Freakchild and this time around, he’s taking on classic spirituals, down home gospel, and contemporary songs grounded in that arena.  His flavor of blues and roots-based jams bring the songs to a whole new level.   With Freakchild, is guitarist Mark Karan (Rat Dog), keyboardist Steve Sirockin, bassist Malcolm Oliver, drummer Chris Parker (Aretha Franklin, Donald Fagan, Quincy Jones), Jason Hamm (String Cheese Incident), and multi-instrumentalist Hugh Pool.  Grammy-nominated vocalist and harmonica player the Reverend Shawn Amos also makes a guest appearance.        

Freakchild takes Albert King’s “Everybody Want to go to Heaven” and gives it a whole different sound, cloaking the song in a spirted cosmic energy.  I love the upbeat version of Blind Lemon Jefferson’s “See That My Grave Is Kept Clean”.  Freakchild sings this with serious conviction as buckets of grease are dumped on his fabulous slide guitar performance.  A list of contemporary bluesy songs about Jesus would not be complete without Z.Z. Top’s “Jesus Just Left Chicago”.  This one beautifully plays out on acoustic guitar and harmonica.  Freakchild breaks out his magical special sauce on “Working on a Building”, a gospel standard which absolutely jams.  It’s impossible to sit still while its playing.  “Keep on Praying”, a song by Jake La Botz keeps the revival tent all fired up, with Shawn Amos stepping in with vocals and harp.  My favorite track is Freakchild’s cover of Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus”.  I’ll probably always favor the original version, but this one really won me over, more-so than the Johnny Cash version.  Freakchild douses this one with really swampy slide, a driving rhythm and juicy blues harp.  I absolutely adore it. 

The album ends on a sixteen-plus minute track called “Seven Billion Light Years Old”, which packs a multitude of sound-bites into an audio montage.  It features various pieces of spoken word, and slivers of music inspired by artists such as The Who, Eddie Mars, John Mellencamp, Tracy Chapman, and David Bowie.  It truly is an enlightening journey.

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I’ve reviewed these other albums by Reverend Freakchild :

 

Dial It In : PhillyCheeze's Rock & Blues Reviews: #328 : Reverend Freakchild -Dial It In (phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com)

 

Illogical Optimism : PhillyCheeze's Rock & Blues Reviews: Reverend Freakchild - Illogical Optimism (phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com)

 

  

For more information about the artist, visit this website : www.www-reverendfreakchild.org

#505 : Guy Davis - Be Ready When I Call You

 

2021 – M.C. Records

By Phillip Smith; June 26, 2021

 

Guy Davis, nominated for the Grammy’s Best Traditional Blues Album in 2017 with Sonny & Brownie’s Last Train, has just released another possible Grammy contender with Be Ready When I Call You.  With this new album from the Ambassador of the Blues, Davis brilliantly dissects our American culture with a potent and hearty serving of blues.  His talents run deep as he performs his music on acoustic guitar, banjo, harmonica, and tambourine with Professor Louie on keys, Gary Burke on drums, John Platania on electric and acoustic guitars, and Mark Murphy on stand-up bass and cello.  Also appearing on the album is Christopher James on acoustic guitar, 6-string banjo, and mandolin, Jeff Haynes on percussion, and background singers David Bernz, Timothy Hill, and Casey Erdman.  

Davis begins the listening experience with a boisterous journey aboard the sixteen coach long “Badonkadonk Train”.  The record takes a heavy, eye-opening turn with “God’s Gonna Make Things Over”, as Guy relays the grim and matter-of-fact account of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.  With a hook that’s infectious as hell, title-track “Be Ready When I Call You” tells the story of Robert Johnson’s legendary meeting with the devil at the crossroads.  Banjo in hand, Davis advises the listener to don’t drink the water in “Flint River Blues”, a captivating song about the disasterous 2014 water crisis in Flint, Michigan in which the water was so full of lead and toxins, people were getting deathly ill.  Davis taps into his inner Howlin’ Wolf to fearlessly deliver the blues classic “Spoonful”, the only cover song on the album.  It sounds fantastic.  I love the closer “Welcome to My World”.  The psychedelic guitar licks he sprinkles into the song catch my attention as he taps into the current state of the world with thought-provoking lyrics which flow out of his mouth in a carefully constructed cadence.

Guy Davis’ Be Ready When I Call You is quite an exceptional album of traditional blues and Americana.  It’s very powerful.             

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For more information about the artist, visit this website : www.guydavis.com

#500 : Howard Grimes with Preston Lauterbach - Timekeeper My Life in Rhythm

 

2021 – Devault Graves Books

Release Date : July 1, 2021

By Phillip Smith; May 15, 2021

 

I’ve been a huge Stax Records fan for a very long time, and I absolutely love the southern soul music which poured out of Memphis in the Sixties and Seventies.  The grooves were buttery and always inviting.  Howard Grimes, the man who created the beats upon which the Memphis sound was built, tells his story of navigating the Memphis music scene from behind the drums of the prestigious Hi Records Rhythm Section.  Written with Preston Lauterbach, who also co-wrote the recent book from Annye C. Anderson Brother Robert – Growing Up With Robert Johnson, Timekeeper makes for a most intriguing read.    

A key connection was made when Grimes, never knowing his real father, found guidance and a mentorship from Emerson Able, the Manassas High School band director who referred to the youth as a human metronome.  The world Grimes paints of his growing up in Memphis in the Forties and Fifties, is a dicey, exciting, and sometimes terrifying one filled with neighborhood juke joints, barber shops, cafes, and pool halls.  That being said, Grimes was almost always able to steer his way out of trouble, and focus on his love of playing drums. 

Grimes’ stories of starting out are so captivating, and his brushes with fame are countless.  While still in high school, he was already going on road gigs with Rufus Thomas and his crew.  The whole band, plus Ma Rainey would all be packed in a ’59 four-door Chevy with all the instruments in the trunk, and the stand-up bass fiddle running through the middle of the car from the front windshield to the rear window.  Willie Mitchell and the Hodges brothers who made up the rest of the Hi Rhythm Section are all continually mentioned throughout the book, showing just how intertwined their lives were, through the good times and the bad.  It was while traveling through Texas with Mitchell when Al Green was discovered and signed to Hi Records.  Mitchell produced Green’s record, with Grimes and the Hodge boys providing the backing.  That record became a hit, and Al Green became household name after that.     

Besides recording with top artists such as Rufus Thomas, Isaac Hayes, Al Green, Ann Peebles, Willie Mitchell, Otis Clay, O.V. Wright, and Steve Cropper, he’s backed legends Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson as well.  His encounters with each are  discussed.  It’s these stories which really draw me in.

Grimes also goes into deep details regarding his home-life, documenting the rocky relationship he had with his wife, and the fight that left him in the hospital with a knife wound.  Several of his friends were going through that same kind of turmoil, and he talks about how that affected things in the studio as well.  He does not sugar-coat his feelings or mince his words when it comes to telling it like it is or how it was.  His faith in God though kept him going when the going was tough.

In the end, I found it endearing that Grimes has continued to maintain contact with Able, the bandleader from high school throughout the years.  Timekeeper is a book that is hard to put down.  I already want to read it again.

 

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#491 : Robert Allen Parker - The River's Invitation

 

2021 – Broken String Records
Music Maker Relief Foundation
 
By Phillip Smith; March 20, 2021
 
Robert Allen Parker, a staple of the Memphis music scene, is going all-in on his second solo effort The River’s Invitation.  This incredible double LP ushers the listener along an amazing Memphis-music experience, incorporating the many styles and genres which have graced the Bluff City to produce a potent cocktail of delta blues, southern soul, psych-rock, southern boogie and gospel.  Recorded in Memphis with an ensemble of local talent, the album features singers Kennard Farmer, Candice Ivory, Yubu Kazungu, Lahna Deering and Chris Stephenson, with a top-notch cast of musicians consisting of guitarists Khari Wynn (also on bass guitar) and Rev. Neil Down, bassists Chiemi Fujio, Leroy Hodges (Hi Rhythm Section) , keyboardists Gerald Stephens and, Chris Stephenson, percussionists Michael Alan Todd and Melvin Turner, sitarist Richard Cushing, saxophonist Hope Clayburn, trombonist Victor Sawyer, trumpeters Shayla Shaw and Jared Dover, violinist Krista Lynne, cellist Jana Misener, and drummers Paul Taylor, Brian Wells, and Howard Grimes (Hi Rhythm Section).  Parker’s guitar style and mastery has garnered critical acclaim from Gary Clark, Luther Dickinson, Valerie June, and Tav Falco.   

 

Surfing atop a furious beat, “The Sound of Revolution” epically washes ashore on a wave of prog-rock spiked with a string section and hints of R.E.M..  Parker then takes us to church in the Mississippi delta for a swampy delivery of gospel standard “Jesus is on the Main Line”.  With vocals drenched in blues, he gives a breathtaking slide guitar performance.  “Indian Dream / 1 Way 2 Fly” is a most interesting display of musical duality as the selection abruptly transitions from a soft Indian-inspired instrumental into an explosion of power-punk-pop.  Complete with crunchy guitar, catchy hook, and a smoking bridge, it definitely rocks.  “More Than Love” is a brilliant nod to the legendary Stax catalog, boasting a funky groove, soulful vocals, and blasts of brass.  And I adore his cover of Al Green’s “I’m a Ram”.  It’s loaded to the brim in a groovy and funky stink.  Parker pays homage to the great Duane Allman on “Skydog”.  I love the Allman Brothers vibe he injects into it as he pours out this flawless performance.  The River’s Invitation comes to a magnificent end of its twenty-four track journey with a fistful of funk, Hendrix-y psych-blues guitar, and full-bodied organ with “And the Song Goes on Forever”.  It’s quite the amazing listen.       

 

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About "I'm a Ram" 

Since reading Robert Gorden’s book It Came From Memphis and listening to the companion soundtracks, I’ve become obsessed with the song “I’m A Ram”.  Although originally recorded by Al Green, the version appearing on the soundtrack was performed by Memphis band Big Ass Truck.  After going through a rabbit hole of sorts, I had even created a Spotify playlist consisting of every version of “I’m a Ram” I could find.   Within a week, I received a CD for review from a blues-rock band called Head Honchos,  which also contained a cover of the song.  I took that a sign to take a closer look at that album.  It ended up being one of my favorite albums I had heard so far this year. 

 

When I noticed the song was listed on the track-list to this album, I took it as another sign,  I was hooked on this album from the beginning.  I’ll be keeping an eye out for Robert’s version of the song to show up on Spotify.  When it does, it will definitely be added to the playlist.

 

Link to the PhillyCheeze playlist -  I’m a Ram   

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/66oVAHT8FnPIEFkOy2a1Ff?si=hwndbJ9vQMWN32ahXhO1SA

 

 
  

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For more information about the artist, visit this website  : robertallenparker.com

#477 : Erin Harpe - Meet Me in the Middle

 

2020 – Vizztone Label Group

By Phillip Smith; Dec. 19, 2020

 

Versed in the Piedmont style of blues, second-generation finger picker Erin Harpe has wooed me over with her latest record Meet Me in the Middle.  This is her fourth release on the Vizztone label and sixth overall.  Recorded in their Boston-area home studio while quarantined this past June, the album features Harpe on vocals, acoustic guitar, kazoo, and foot percussion, with her husband Jim Countryman on ukulele bass and backing vocals.  The production on this is fantastic, and the result is ten tracks of pure, unadulterated blues.

I admire the sound of Harpe’s guitar playing.  The finger-picking and slide work on her original composition “All Night Long” is outstanding.  Her voice, with its slight twang, is perfectly suited for singing the blues.  Another charming original that lights me up with every listen is “Meet Me in the Middle”. 

Her recording of “Pick Poor Robin Clean” is plumb terrific.  Written and originally recorded in 1927 by Luke Jordon, the song was later popularized by Geeshie Wiley in 1931.  Performed with guitar and kazoo, Harpe breathes new life into this vintage classic.  Erin and Jim also take on the iconic “Rollin’ and Tumblin’” which I absolutely adore.  It’s such a treat to hear her take this one on.  She is such a fireball on the mic as she rips it up on guitar.

Meet Me in the Middle is a must for blues fans. 

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For more information about the artist, visit this website : erinharpe.com

 

Take a listen to the album on Apple Music, and if you decide to purchase it, use my special link.  This helps keep the PhillyCheeze site going.

#424 : Northern Social - (self-titled)

2019 – independent

By Phillip Smith; Dec. 28, 2019

Northern Social, a mesmerizing duo from Ontario, is comprised of guitarist/vocalist Dylan Wickens and drummer/percussionist Mike Rajna.  Their debut release is this wonderful five-track EP, saturated in blues.  Wickens, a two-time winner of the Toronto Blues Society New Talent Search, and nominee for The Maple Blues Awards’ Best New Artist in 2005, has been steadily touring these past twenty-two years, with either his own band, or with his Hendrix Tribute.  

The high-octane blues-rocker “Waiting” fearlessly rips this package open with fiery hot licks and a driving beat.  I’m instantly drawn to the hypnotic rhythm Wickens lays out in their cover of Keb Mo’s “Am I Wrong”.  It settles nicely in the pocket while his smooth and heavy vocals take charge.  “King of Hearts” is another one I can just get lost in.  There’s a bit of that North Mississippi moonshine poured on this one.  It’s fabulously dirty.  “Dead Neighbor Blues” is work of genius and beautifully brings this recording to a close.  Wickens definitely tapped into the blues when writing this one.

The five tracks on this EP surely packs a punch, and demands attention.  Northern Social is definitely worth taking a chance on. 

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·         Streaming formats are not available.  Purchases can be made through the website, www.dylanwickens.com

Savoy Brown - Witchy Feelin’

2017 –Ruf Records

By Phillip Smith; Sep 9, 2017

It’s been fifty years since the first Savoy Brown album, Shake Down, hit the streets in England, and Kim Simmonds shows no signs of slowing down.  The man is definitely on a roll right now.  Besides his brand new solo instrumental album Jazzin’ on the Blues, which is absolutely wonderful by the way, he has the all new off-the-hook Savoy Brown album Witchy Feelin’ out now too.  It is a smoldering hot eleven track plateful of electric guitar-blues.  Returning to the studio with Simmonds is bassist Pat DeSalvo and drummer Garnet Grimm, both of who have been playing in Savoy Brown since 2009. 

A strong impression is made when I hear the intoxicating Texas blues of “Why Did You Hoodoo Me”.  The driving rhythm and searing guitar seals the deal.  The hypnotic hook and swampy slide of “Livin’ on the Bayou” lures me in like the song of the sirens.  It’s beautifully played.  I then get a big smile on my face when he breaks out more bodacious slide singing about one of my favorite places, “Memphis Blues”.  Simmonds pumps a delightful dose of psychedelia into the amazing, “Thunder, Lightning and Rain”, making for an exquisite listen.  “Can’t Find Paradise”, the anthem of the album is rockin’ and contagious. It’s terrific.

Witchy Feelin’ certainly ranks up there among my favorites of the year.  

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Ivor S.K.- Montserrat

2017 – Ivor Simpson - Kennedy

By Phillip Smith; July 22, 2017

Ivor S.K. is quickly climbing to the top of my list of favorite songwriters.  One year has lapsed since his critically acclaimed EP, Delta Pines crossed my desk.  I loved that disc.  I adore his latest release, Montserrat as well.  This debut full-length album consists of ten original masterpieces steeped in blues.  Montserrat showcases the genius of Ivor Simpson-Kennedy, with each song written, arranged and performed by the artist himself.

       

I quickly latch on to the marching rhythm of breakup song “Don’t Say Goodbye” while enjoying the slick rockabilly guitar licks.  The hook in “Ain’t No Cross” masterfully induces a double-take, while tackling one of the largest white elephants on the planet.     His tale of double-crossing drug dealers in the Caribbean-flavored “I’ve Been Had” is a sheer delight.  It is funky and contagious.           

    

“It’s Raining”, beautiful and melancholy, sinks in deep.  His performance on acoustic guitar is absolutely lovely.  The jazzy homage to the Big Easy in “Take Me Back to New Orleans” is vibrant and alluring, painting pictures of exploring the local music scene and chilling at the world-famous Beignets.

Listening to Ivor S.K. reminds me of listening to Tom Waits for the first time, being caught up in the wonderfully raspy voice, the musicianship, and the songs.. those killer songs.  This album indeed stands up and stands out.

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Here's a quick link to check out my review of Ivor S.K.'s  Delta Pines EP ->   https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2016/05/ivor-sk-delta-pines.html

     

Charlie Faye & The Fayettes

2016 –  

By Phillip Smith; May 21, 2016

It’s about time someone took the bull by the horns to brush the dust off the classic girl group sound so embraced and adored in the Sixties.  Bringing that luscious sound to life again is Austin singer/songwriter Charlie Faye, who masterfully captures that carefree sound with eleven brand new original tracks.  Her backup singers, the Fayettes, BettySoo and Akina Adderley both have established and well-respected solo careers outside this charming trio.

Charlie Faye and the Fayettes start their debut album off with “Green Light”, a soulful and poppy feel-good treat about blossoming relationships. “Sweet Little Messages” walks the path between Motown and Memphis, dishing out beautiful harmonies peppered with Steve Cropper-like guitar licks.  There’s also a huge Stax sound on “Eastside” a lively dance-inducing track which draws attention to neighborhood gentrification.  This groovy track is definitely my favorite.

I love the combined sound of spaghetti-western surf guitar topped with the trippy psychedelic synth present on “Loving Names”.  It’s so hard to believe this is all brand new music.  When Faye sings “Coming Round the Bend” with her swirling and sugary sweet vocals, it sounds so good.  The song makes me feel nostalgic for the Phil Spector-produced Ronettes.    

It’s refreshing to hear a brand new take on a sound that’s been out of the spotlight for nearly forty years.  I would definitely like to see music of this style make a comeback.  It has been put away for far too long.  

Balkun Brothers - Balkun Brothers

2015 – Dixiefrog Records

By Phillip Smith; Jan 30, 2016

The new self-titled album from the multi-award winning Balkun Brothers is simply put, electric, incredible and rocking.  Hailing from Hartford, Connecticut, The Balkun Brothers consists of guitarist/vocalist Steve Balkun, and his younger brother, drummer/vocalist Nick Balkun.  Balkun Brothers contains a dozen ripping white-hot blues-rock songs produced by one of my favorite blues guitarists, the amazing Popa Chubby.   

From the get-go, the Balkun Brothers hit the ground running full speed with “Been Drivin’”, serving hard-nosed blues with a heart-racing delivery. This song gets the adrenalin flowing like the Mississippi.  They keep that energy going in “I Know What Ya’ Did”, and “She Got it All”, both full of catchy riffs and swampy slide guitar.  I get totally swept away in “Control Yourself”, and love the Zeppelin-esque vibe present in “Cold Heart”.  The only cover song on the album, Johnny Winter’s “Mean Town Blues” is a sheer delight.  Steve keeps it rolling on guitar as Nick keeps it tumbling with a cool hypnotic beat.  The album closes with the sweetly performed, acoustic selection “Rainy Day Front Porch Blues”.  Background audio of passing cars on a wet street add a nice touch of authenticity.          

   

This fantastic album from the Balkun Brothers is brilliantly penned and has everything going for it.  It is destined to be one of this year’s favorites.