Showing posts with label Rick Estrin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rick Estrin. Show all posts

Saturday, December 30, 2017

#311 : Howlin' at Greaseland


Various Artists
Howlin’ at Greaseland
2017 –West Tone Records
Release Date : 2017

By Phillip Smith; Dec 30, 2017


Howlin’ Wolf has always been one of my favorite bluesmen and I was quite excited to hear this new compilation of the Wolf’s music masterminded by producer Stephanie Tice and Christopher ‘Kid’ Andersen.  Howlin’ at Greaseland was recorded at Andersen’s Greaseland Studio in San Jose, California, and features a terrific crew of blues singers consisting of Alabama Mike, John Blues Boyd, Tail Dragger Jones, Henry Gray, Aki Kumar, Terry Hanck, and Lee Donald.   The band has a rotating cast of notable Bay area blues artists on hand too.  With Andersen himself on guitar for the majority of the songs, others include: Rick Estrin(harmonica), Aki Kumar(harp), Rockin’ Johnny Burgin(guitar), Johnny Cat Soubrand(guitar), Vance Ehlers(bass), Jim Pugh(piano), Dmar Martin(drums), Lorenzo Farrell(piano), Alex Pettersen(drums), Robby Yamilov(bass), Joe Kyle Jr.(bass), June Core(drums), Henry Gray(piano), Patrick Rynn(bass), Chris James(guitar), Eric Spaulding(sax) and Mike Phillips(bass).

The album wonderfully begins with the infectious hook of “Meet Me in the Bottom”.  Alabama Mike pours himself into his performance.  Kid Andersen’s slide guitar sounds so nice, especially paired with the harp playing of Rick Estrin.  It’s a terrific way to start the record.  This really has a way of warming the listener up for the killer rendition of “Smokestack Lightnin’” sung by John Blues Boyd.  This one features both Kid and Rockin’ Johnny Burgin on guitars, as well as Estrin on harp, delicately accented by the piano prowess of Jim Pugh(Robert Cray Band).  Tail Dragger delivers the goods on “Don’t Trust No Woman”, as he belts the tune out with tons of experience.  Rockin’ Johnny Burgin splendidly keeps the song rolling on guitar while Aki Kumar delivers a big juicy performance on harp.  I love Henry Gray’s remarkable piano and vocal delivery of “Little Red Rooster”.  It is blues at its purest.  The album comes to a close with sweet recording of “Spoonful” sung with conviction by John Blues Boyd. Players on hand for this track include Kid Andersen and Rockin’ Johnny on guitars, with Rick Estrin on harp, Joe Kyle Jr. on bass, Jim Pugh on organ, and Eric Spaulding on sax.  They sound so great together; I certainly would be up for hearing more of these compilations from Greaseland.      
   

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Tommy Castro presents The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue Live





By Phillip Smith

If one thing can be said about Tommy Castro, it’s that he knows how to put on a show.  So well in fact that he is the honorary captain of the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruises.   This album features some of the highlights from The Revue’s recent live performances.  The Revue consists of Tommy Castro, his band, complete with horn section, and a number of musical guests. 

Magic is in the air as Castro totally reinvents Bob Dylan’s ‘Gotta Serve Somebody’.  Possibly one of the hottest tracks on the whole album, it’s as if Stevie Wonder himself took the song, baptized it in a lake of funk, and handed it back. 

Rick Estrin, who has recently taken over for Little Charlie as front man for the Nightcats, dishes out some smoking’ harp licks on ‘My Next Ex-Wife’.   Estrin, not the only Nightcat in on this one, is joined on this one by his guitarist Chris ‘Kid’ Anderson, who adds some pretty hot licks to the song as well.

If I were to continue name dropping, I might ask what Michael Burks, Joe Louis Walker,  Trampled Under Foot, and Janiva Magness all have in common.  The answer would be that they all contribute smoking hot numbers on this album as well. 

This CD is definitely a jewel for those who dig their compilation albums.  Because Castro’s band is backing each track, the listener gets a really good mix of music, but with a common thread providing a fluid connection.   Of course, this one comes highly recommended.