Ebony Jo-Ann - Please Save Your Love For Me

2015 – Blackgold Production Co.

By Phillip Smith; Jan 9, 2016

 

As I listen to the debut album, Please Save Your Love For Me, from Ebony Jo-Ann, I wonder why this phenomenal singer is just now coming into my awareness.  Whatever the reason, I’m so glad this album journeyed my way.  Produced by Danny Kean, who Ebony Jo-Ann first crossed paths with at Ashford & Simpson’s Sugar Bar in New York City, the album delicately delivers some of the most soulful blues I’ve heard.

Ashford & Simpson penned song “Just Rain” begins the music journey with nightclub blues at its best.  The sassy vocal stylings of Ms. Jo-Ann and bluesy guitar licks from Mark Bowers sound so sweet against the stellar horn section.  The Percy Mayfield classic “Send Someone to Love”, is a beautiful piece.  Kean pours a ton of soul into his piano performance as he also joins Ms. Jo-Ann on vocals, making this timeless classic a hip and cool duet.  Another favorite, “Burning World”, preaches enlightenment and empowerment to save our burning world.  Ms. Jo-Ann’s vocals are smooth and powerful as Bowers delivers a smoking guitar performance.   

Ebony Jo-Ann has definitely got it going on with this ten track album, which also boasts splendid covers of blues classics Bumble Bee Slim/Eddie Miller’s “Muddy Water” and Memphis Sheiks’ “Sitting on Top of the World”.  This is about as good as it gets.

For more information on Ebony Jo-Ann, visit her website at:
 http://ejkdkd.wix.com/ebony-jo-ann-dot-com

 

John Mayall - Find a Way to Care

2015 –Forty Below Records

By Phillip Smith; Aug. 22, 2015

It makes me happy to see John Mayall return to the studio and record another sensational blues album.  Find a Way to Care is masterfully written and exquisitely performed.  Returning to the studio with Mayall is guitarist Rocky Athas, bassist Greg Rzab, and drummer Jay Davenport, who were all present on his previous studio album A Special Life.  

Mayall breathes a new funky and soulful life into Percy Mayfield’s “The River’s Invitation”.  With Mayall manning the keyboard, and a terrific horn section at his side, this song takes on a sort of “Bar-Kays Soul Finger” vibe.  I dig this one a lot.  Riding this same wave of feel-good music, is the vibrant Lightning Hopkins cover, “I Feel So Bad”, which makes me feel so good when I give it a listen. 

There’s no shortage of traditional blues here either.  Mayall serves up nothing but the best of it as he splendidly tackles Junior Parker’s “Mother in Law Blues”,  Muddy Water’s “Long Distance Call”, and Charles Brown’s “Drifting Blues”.   

I’m quickly drawn in to the music on “War We Wage” a heady guitar blues track by acclaimed UK guitarist Matt Schofield.  It’s hard to beat the combination of Mayall’s keys alongside Athas on guitar.  They just sound so good together.  Mayall brings the album to a close, busting out some fabulous barrel house piano blues on “Crazy Lady”.

Mayall is known as the “Godfather of British Blues” for a good reason and his legacy continues with Find a Way to Care.      

http://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/

For more info on John Mayall, visit his website http://www.johnmayall.com/