#601 : GA-20 - Live in Loveland (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2023 – Karma Chief

By Phillip Smith; March 18, 2023

Release Date : March. 17, 2023

 

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

GA-20 ranks right up there among my favorite blues bands playing today.  I have absolutely loved their previous two studio albums, Crackdown, and Does Hound Dog Taylor.  The records are magnificent.  GA-20 has a way of filling every nook and cranny of their music with a timeless vintage sound and raw fearlessness.  Live in Loveland, their first full-length live album, was recorded direct-to-tape on a Tascam 388 in Loveland, Ohio at Plaid Room Records.   It features previously unrecorded tracks along with songs from Crackdown and their 2019 debut album Lonely Soul.  The musical chemistry shared between vocalist/guitarist Pat Faherty, guitarist/producer Matthew Stubbs, and drummer Tim Carman is sheer electric and fortified with true grit.

The album kicks off with a pair of deep-cuts paying homage to Harold Burrage’s “I Cry For You”, and Little Walter’s “My Baby’s Sweeter”.  They transport me through time and space to a smoke-filled juke joint tucked away somewhere in Chicago’s South Side.  “Lonely Soul” is a fireball of a song which clocks in at less than two minutes.  Carman keeps a riveting beat for this blues-meets-surf rock title-track.  I’m happy to see “Dry Run” from Crackdown was included.  That puts a smile on my face.  GA-20 knocks this fifties-era rockabilly original out of the ballpark with Faherty’s suave crooner vocals and Stubbs’ deliciously twangy guitar sounds. 

When I first heard “My Soul”, it took a while for me to process where I had heard this song before.  My experience with this funky track has only been through hearing it countless times from another favorite band of mine Phish.  I had never hunted down the original zydeco version from Clifton Chenier.  I have now though, and whether performed by Chenier, Phish, or GA-20, “My Soul” is a cool song in every case.            

Following in the footsteps of New York punk rockers The Ramones, GA-20 packs a massive amount of energy into a small amount of time.  “Hold it One More Time” is an excellent example.  This previously un-recorded original is a magnificent blues explosion which lasts just a smidge over two minutes.  Live in Loveland comes to a smashing end with lots of cheers when they close the show with “By My Lonesome”.   It’s a stellar song that leaves me wanting hear more after all the dust has settled.  

GA-20 is on my short list of bands I must see.  This recording just makes me want to see them even more.       

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LIVE IN LOVELAND TRACKLIST

1. I Cry For You

2. My Baby's Sweeter

3. Lonely Soul

4. I Let Someone In

5. Dry Run

6. Double Gettin'

7. My Soul

8. Just Because

9. Hold It One More Time

10. Crackin' Up

 

 

For more information about GA-20, visit their website at :  https://ga20band.com

 

Check out other PhillyCheeze reviews for GA-20 at :  https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=GA-20

 

 

#594 > Tas Cru - Riffin' the Blue (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

2023 – SubCat Records

By Phillip Smith; Jan. 28, 2023

Release Date : Feb. 3, 2023

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Riffin’ the Blue, the latest from New York bluesman Tas Cru, certainly lives up to its name.  The riffs are infectious and deliciously bluesy, making for a fantastic new batch of home-grown originals from Tas.  The album is self-produced and features Tas on vocals and guitar with Mary Ann Casale on backing vocals, Ron Keck on percussion, Bruce Katz on piano/organ, Andy Hearn on drums, and Bob Purdy on bass.  Special guests include Mike Zito, Lenny Milano, and Bill Barry.

With Zito tearing it up with a smoking performance on lead guitar, the album bursts wide open with the title-track “Riffin’ the Blues”.  The organ accompaniment from Barry sounds glorious on this rocking blues shuffle.  A funky beat and a swinging rhythm is the backbone for the rally cry of “Stand Up”.  It’s an absolute favorite which quickly brings me up on my feet.  I love the lush Mark Knopfler-ish tone Tas pulls out of his guitar on “Throw it All Away”.  Tas’ approach to writing and composing often reflect a Warren Zevon kind of style.  “Crazy Getting in My Way” is a fine example of a song which falls into that category.  It’s quite an amazing track.  Riffin’ the Blue concludes with the haunting blues of “Memphis Gone” which showcases the talent of Zito on slide guitar.  The emotion Tas poignantly pours into his vocal and guitar performance is deeply felt.    

Riffin’ the Blue is a brilliant album and is now my favorite release from Tas Cru.  I highly recommend this one. 

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For more information about Tas Cru, visit his website at : https://tascru.com

 

Check out other PhillyCheeze reviews for Tas Cru at :  https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=tas+cru

 

 

#503 : Tia Carroll - You Gotta Have It

 

2021 – Little Village

By Phillip Smith; June 12, 2021

I greatly respect the work of Little Village Foundation, and their dedication to helping talented artists who may have no other means to get their music recorded and distributed.  One of the latest releases for this non-profit organization is for Bay Area (Richmond, CA) singer-songwriter Tia Carroll.  Her voice is a soulful and powerful one, and it sounds fabulous with the backing of Greaseland Studio musicians the great Kid Andersen on guitar, Jim Pugh on piano/organ, and Steve Ehrmann on bass.  Blessed with over thirty years of experience, Carroll has performed professionally with artists such as Jimmy McCracklin and Sugar Pie DeSanto.  Although Carroll has prior recordings with bands in Italy and Brazil, You Gotta Have It is her first album recorded stateside.  Produced by Andersen and Pugh, this grand album consists of eleven spectacular tracks, three of which are Carroll’s own original songs.

I absolutely love her opening track “Ain’t Nobody Worryin’”, featuring Charlie Hunter on guitar/bass.  Backed with a funky beat, and topped with Carroll’s brilliantly executed lyrical cadence, she breathes new life to this gritty streetwise song originally from Anthony Hamilton’s 2005 album by the same name.  Her vocals shine brightly and exhibit amazing range on “Even When I’m Not Alone”.  This song oozes with slow soul, and is beautifully graced with Pugh’s organ accompaniment.  There’s something about a nice big blast of horns on a song that sweetly punches a song up and “Don’t Put Your Hands on Me” sets a wonderful example.  Written by Rick Estrin for the late, great Koko Taylor, this track is a grand one to say the least.  Another of Carroll’s originals “Leaving Again” effortlessly woos me over with its mid-Seventies Isaac Hayes vibe.  You Gotta Have It comes to a poignant close with a warm and groovy cover of The Staple Singers’ 1967 release “Why Am I Treated So Bad”.  Carroll sings this perfectly in every way with backing vocals from The Sons of the Soul Revivers (James ,Walter, & Dwayne Morgan).  The whole band comes together so very nicely for this one too.

I certainly hope we get to hear more of Tia Carroll.  You Gotta Have It is a powerful album lush with musical talent.  It’s an absolutely striking recording.   

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#485 : Vanessa Collier - Heart on the Line

2020 – Phenix Fire Records / Vanessa Collier

By Phillip Smith; Feb. 6, 2021

 

They say you got to strike while the iron is hot, and that is exactly what Vanessa Collier is doing.  As the recipient of the “Horn Player of the Year” award for two years in a row at the Blues Music Awards in 2019 and 2020, this artist is surely setting herself up for a three-peat.  Collier brings an immense amount of talent to the studio for her fourth album Heart on the Line.  She’s truly at the top of her game both vocally and as a sax player.  Backing Collier on this eleven-track album is Laura Chavez on electric guitar, C.C. Ellis, Scott Sutherland (Mike Zito, Albert Castiglia), and Cornell Williams on bass, William Gorman on organ/piano, Quinn Carson on trombone, and Doug Woolverton on trumpet.

I absolutely love “Bloodhound”, Collier sings the song with a sweet Mississippi twang as Chavez pours gobs of swampy goodness all over her slide guitar.  Topped with horns and searing guitar, the rolling rhythm on “Take a Chance on Me” is funky and infectious.  Collier beautifully delivers another outstanding dose of original blues with her breathtaking voice and mastery of the saxophone on “Weep and Moan”,

Out of the eleven tracks, all are original with the exception of two covers.  The first being a groovy remake of James Brown’s “Super Bad”.  Slathered with heaping helpings of delicious sax, this one leads the album off in style.  The second is a fresh and hip take on Randy Neuman’s “Leave Your Hat On”.  Collier really gets down on this one.   It’s plumb terrific.

Heart on the Line is an album I would highly recommend.  It’s a superb recording.                

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(note: In 2019, I had the pleasure of catching Laura Chavez perform with Nikki Hill as the Friday night headliner at the Prairie Dog Blues Festival in Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin.  The show was downright splendid.)   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

#463 : Andy Watts - Supergroove

 

2020 – Booga Music

By Phillip Smith; Sep. 19, 2020

 

Supergroove, the latest album from Israel’s Ambassador of the Blues Andy Watts is an impeccable record of big-band blues topped with the delectable sound of Watts’ smoking guitar.  With vocals rotated around a noteworthy guest list of singers such as Eliza Neals, and Joe Louis Walker, the band consists of Eyal Klein on keys, Ioram Linker on sax, Gregory Rivkin on trumpet, Tom Mochiach on bass, Moran Bar-On on trombone, Tom Bolig on drums, and Coastin Hank on harmonica.  Co-produced by multi-BMA winner and Grammy nominee Kenny Neal, Supergroove is nice mix of originals and covers, with a clean and polished sound.  

The funky instrumental “Supergroove” leads the recording off in a way which perfectly fits its name.  The sweet sound of horns backed with a B3 and a snappy back-beat make for great accompaniment to Watt’s Texas-blues stylings.  Linker’s baritone sax solo is a nice touch too.  I love Roy Young’s vocal stylings on their cover of Rick Estrin’s “Living Hand to Mouth”.  This is blues at its best with a luscious side of harp.  Young sounds great on the funky R&B cover of Gonzalez’s 1974 song “Pack it Up” too.  Grammy nominee Joe Louis Walker adds a silky-smooth touch to “Burning Deep”, a beautiful and soulful original.  It’s an absolute pleasure to hear the fabulous Detroit songstress Eliza Neals pour her magic on his 1995 song “Blues of the Month Club”.  I’d love to hear more collaborations between her and Watts.  High-energy blues-rocker “Don’t You Let Me Down” which was originally recorded in 1972 by the band Jericho, features the original singer Danny Shoshan.  This new version, rearranged for Watts’ larger band, sounds fantastic polished up with sounds of brass.  The album closes with a beautiful and delicate performance of Peter Green’s intoxicating instrumental “The Supernatural”.  Watts takes this song which first appeared on John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers’ A Hard Road album, and lifts it skyward in his own unique way.

Watts’ guitar mastery shines brightly on this album and he makes interesting choices music-wise.  Supergroove is a rock-solid album with rock-solid performances.  It’s definitely an album worthy of adding to your collection.   

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#433 : Ben Rice & RB Stone - Out of the Box

2020 – Middle Mountain Music
Release Date : March 6, 2020

By Phillip Smith; Feb. 22, 2020


Out of the Box, a cigar box guitar project by Ben Rice and RB Stone caught my attention in a magnificent way.  Rice and Stone have written eleven original blues tracks which they perform using an assortment of cigar box guitars comprised of 6 and 4 string Washboards, Swampeast Cigar Box, and a Lobo Cigar Box.  Backing Rice and Stone on this self-produced project is drummer Dave Melyan, bassist Joseph Barton and Jimi Bott on tambourine.  Bott, the award-winning blues drummer who has played with the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and The Proven Ones, also recorded and mixed the record.

The guys bust out in full rockabilly style on “Hot Rod Mama”, both tearing it up on 6-string Washboards.  The slide sounds terrific, and their vocals are dynamic.  Melvan’s back-beat and Rice’s mesmerizing riff instills a relaxed North Mississippi vibe to “Easy Rollin’ Down the Road”.   Stone breaks out his harmonica on the delightfully cool retro track “Hoodoo Workin’ Overtime”.  There’s a bit of a Howlin’ Wolf essence about this one that I adore.  “Swamp East Boogie” puts a smile on my face with every listen as Stone lets loose on his SwampEast CBG.  The Southeast Missouri area they sing about is very familiar to me.   “Bad Blood on Mean Whiskey” has a menacing ambiance and a badass attitude that is irresistible.      

The grand finale of this splendid album is a song called “Lobo Jam”.  This four and a half minute instrumental jam consists of an edgy driving rhythm and lots of smoking slide guitar.  I absolutely love it.  This album is a must for blues and cigar box guitar fans.      

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For more information about these artists, visit their websites:  https://rbstone.com and https://www.benricelive.com/

#395 : Big Daddy Wilson - Deep in My Soul

2019 – Ruf Records

By Phillip Smith; June 11, 2019

Deep in My Soul, the latest album from the Big Daddy Wilson, is a magnificent platter of soulful blues.  This North Carolina born bluesman who now calls Northern Germany his home, trekked back to the U.S. to begin working with Grammy-winning producer Jim Gaines.  Recording began at Gaines’ Bessie Blue Studio in Stantonville, Tennessee, and wrapped up at the legendary FAME studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.  With Laura Chavez onboard playing guitar, Wilson’s killer rhythm section is comprised of Memphians Dave Smith on bass, and Steve Potts on drums.

With a soulful Memphis Stax vibe, the album begins with “I Know”.  Chavez immerses herself into Steve Cropper-mode and the rest of the band follows suit.  With additional accompaniment from Brad Guin and Ken Waters, aka The Alabama Horns, the stage is perfectly set for Wilson’s deep, engaging vocals.  “Tripping On You” is another terrific track saturated in the funky, soulful sound of Stax.  It is purely delightful.  The inescapable hook of “Ain’t Got No Money” keeps me on the line while I gush over the slide guitar.  I absolutely love the funky riffs, soul-wrenching vocals, and an infectious groove on title track “Deep in My Soul”.  Ominous and seductive, “Voodoo” is one cool-as-hell blues-soaked track.  It’s as if it were pulled right out of a Mississippi swamp.

This album from Big Daddy Wilson scores high on all levels, and I highly recommend it.        

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For more information about the artist, visit this website: https://www.bigdaddywilson.com