#409 : Savoy Brown - City Night

2019 – Quarto Valley Records
By Phillip Smith; September 23, 2019

I’m happy to hear anything by the British blues-master Kim Simmonds and his band Savoy Brown.  Their latest release City Night, is no exception.  This is the fortieth album from them, and is another smash hit record.  With bassist Pat DeSalvo and drummer Garnet Grimm holding down the rhythm section, Simmonds takes charge as he does and delivers yet another round of stellar original straight-up, nose-to-the-grind blues.

Simmonds’ searing guitar licks, joined with a fearless driving beat, kicks this treasure-trove of blues-rock off with “Walking On Hot Stones”.  It is scorching and fantastic.  I love “Conjure Rhythm”, with its hypnotic hoodoo pulse.  “Hang in Tough” is a rugged rocker of hard-hitting blues which cuts to the bone.  A feel-good mood is set by title-track “City Night”, and fully enjoyed.   It’s so great to hear Simmonds wail on guitar. Simmonds nicely closes the album out with a heavy dose of blues in the fabulous “Ain’t Gonna Worry”.  

It’s amazing how Savoy Brown just keeps getting better and better with each release.  City Night is as good as it gets.  Blues fans are sure to enjoy this record.    

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Other PhillyCheeze reviews of Savoy Brown

Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown - Goin’ to the Delta - https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2014/02/kim-simmonds-and-savoy-brown-goin-to.html

Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown - The Devil to Pay - https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2015/11/kim-simmonds-and-savoy-brown-devil-to.html

Kim Simmonds - Jazzin’ on the Blues - https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2017/09/kim-simmonds-jazzin-on-blues.html

Savoy Brown - Witchy Feelin’ - https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2017/09/savoy-brown-witchy-feelin.html

#346 : Savoy Brown - You Should Have Been There! - https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2018/08/346-savoy-brown-you-should-have-been.html



#356 : Savoy Brown w/ The Satterfield – Erickson Project - Oct. 7, 2018 - https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2018/10/356-savoy-brown-w-satterfield-erickson.html


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

#400 : Ruf Records - 25 Years Anniversary

2019 - Ruf Records  

by Phillip Smith; July 12, 2019

To commemorate the 400^th PhillyCheeze’s Rock & Blues Review, I want to shine some light on the special 25 Years Anniversary disc from Ruf Records.  This is one hell of a collection.  This edition contains both a 14 track CD, and a 12 video, 62-minute DVD .  The CD features a ton of music from Ruf’s most recent releases, while the DVD delightfully spans their entire era, going back to the Luther Allison days.  

After seeing Ruf’s Blues Caravan last year in 2018, I was happy to see the disc containing songs by Ally Venerable, Mike Zito, and Bernard Allison who all shared the stage at the 2^nd annual Czech Village Blues festival, here in Cedar Rapids, Iowa last August.  Ally rips it up on guitar and belts out the title track to her latest album, “Texas Honey”.  Zito’s song is also the title track for his latest, “First Class Life”.  I love the slide guitar on this one.  The swampy, funky goodness of Bernard’s “Backdoor Man” is so enjoyable.  Vanja Sky, who played on the European legs of the caravan, gives us the smokin’ blues in “Hard Working Woman”.   

Ruf also includes the sultry “Chills and Fever” from the wonderful Samantha Fish, and  Ina Forsman’s exquisitely danceable ’ “Get Mine”.  For the classic blues-head, there is “Low Down“ from The B.B. King Blues Band, and hardcore soul music fans will surely dig “Deep in my Soul” from Big Daddy Wilson.  Also nice to hear, is my favorite Savoy Brown song from the past few years, “Why Did You Hoodoo Me”.  It definitely cuts to the bone.    

The DVD begins with a spectacular performance of Denmark’s Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado fabulously performing “If You Wanna Leave”.  It’s so cool to see Mike Zito, Devon Allman and Cyril Neville jam together on “Moonlight Over the Mississippi”.  Oli Brown’s driving blues-rock anthem “Here I Am” is captivating.  From the 2019 Blues Caravan, there’s a terrific video of Katarina Pejak, Ina Forsman and Ally Venable covering the classic Stevie Ray Vaughan song “If the House is Rocking”, and they sound great.  For a wonderful song to close with, Luther Allison soulfully sings “Living in The House of Blues”.

Ruf Records 25 Years Anniversary should be in the collection of every blues fan.  It is a powerhouse of a retrospective.      

Associated PhillyCheeze Reviews include:

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2017/06/thorbjrn-risager-black-tornado-change.html

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2014/06/thorbjrn-risager-black-tornado-too-many.html

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2018/08/347-czech-village-blues-aug-11-2018.html

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2018/07/344-vanja-sky-bad-penny.html

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2019/06/395-big-daddy-wilson-deep-in-my-soul.html

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2019/03/384-bb-king-blues-band-soul-of-king.html

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2018/03/322-victor-wainwright-and-train-self.html

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2018/01/313-bernard-allison-let-it-go.html

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2017/09/savoy-brown-witchy-feelin.html

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2017/04/samantha-fish-chills-fever.html

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2016/02/ina-forsman-ina-forsman.html

#356 : Savoy Brown w/ The Satterfield – Erickson Project - Oct. 7, 2018

Veterans Memorial Building  

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

By Phillip Smith; Oct 13, 2018

Sunday, October 7^th, The Artisan’s Sanctuary in Marion, Iowa presented Savoy Brown live at the Veterans Memorial Building in Cedar Rapids. I’ve been a big fan of the legendary Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown for quite a while, and was absolutely thrilled to have finally caught one of his live shows.  Playing as a trio, Simmonds was accompanied onstage by his bassist Pat DeSalvo and drummer Garnet Grimm, both of whom have been playing with the band for the past several albums and worked with Simmonds on prior solo albums as well. 

Opening for Savoy Brown was The Satterfield – Erickson Project, composed of master guitarists Billy Satterfield from Chicago, and Craig Erickson from Cedar Rapids, bassist John Hall, and drummer Tim Crumley.  I loved their fabulous tribute to the great Otis Rush (April 29, 1935 – September 29, 2018) with “I Can’t Quit You”.   It was indeed a real treat to hear.  Their performance of the classic Allman Brothers song, “Whipping Post” had me totally captivated too.  The dual guitar jam was magnificent. 

Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown grabbed my attention quickly, opening their set with a pair of wonderfully swampy blues-rockers: “Hoodoo Me” and “Living on the Bayou”, both tracks from the recent 2017 Witchy Feelin’ album.  That is such a terrific album, and those were definitely excellent songs to lead off with.  Digging a little deeper, Simmonds delivered the goods with “Poor Girl” off the 1970 album Lookin’ In.  This was followed by the deliciously heavy electric blues of Willie Dixon’s “I Ain’t Superstitious” and Bukka White’s “Shake ‘em on Down” from the 1967 Shakedown album with Simmonds breaking out the harmonica.  It was a pleasure to hear the title track of the 1972 album Hellbound Train too.  The groove was intense and hypnotic.  Simmonds wound things to a close with “Memphis Blues”, and the cool slide boogie-induced riffs of “Tell Mama”.     

The music was superb and I walked away from the venue wearing a smile.  I would love to see more shows like this in the future for Cedar Rapids. 

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* all Photos by Phillip Smith

The Satterfield - Erickson Project

Billy Satterfield , Craig Erickson

Billy Satterfield, Craig Erickson, John Hall

Craig Erickson

Billy Satterfield

Billy Satterfield

 

Tim Crumley

 

Craig Erickson, Billy Satterfield, John Hall

 

Satterfield - Erickson Project

Craig Erickson , John Hall

Craig Erickson

John Hall

Billy Satterfield

Tim Crumley

Savoy Brown

Kim Simmonds

Kim Simmonds , Pat DeSalvo

Kim Simmonds

Pat DeSalvo

Kim Simmonds

Pat DeSalvo

Garnet Grimm

Savoy Brown

 

Kim Simmonds

Savoy Brown

Kim Simmonds , Pat DeSalvo

Pat DeSalvo

Kim Simmonds

#346 : Savoy Brown - You Should Have Been There!

2018 – Panache Records

By Phillip Smith; Aug. 11, 2018

Savoy Brown’s latest album, You Should Have Been There! is a colossal dose of live electric blues. Originally recorded in February of 2003 at The Yale in Vancouver, this album features front-man Kim Simmonds joined by guitarist David Malachowski, bassist Gerry Sorrentino, and drummer Dennis Cotton.  Loaded with lots of extended jams, this delightful six-pack of songs gives a solid hours’ worth of listening.     

The record opens with some serious hard-driving blues with “When it Rains” off the 2003 Strange Dreams album. Simmonds then dovetails “Where Has Your Heart Gone?” in quite nicely for an exquisite eleven and a half minutes of intoxicating slow jam and guitar play.  From one of my favorite Savoy Brown albums, 1970’s Looking In, we hear the funky blues of “Poor Girl” which spins the tale of a young woman who’s fled the country life to be surrounded by the bright lights of the big city which chews her up and eventually spits her out.  I love how Simmonds lets loose on guitar with this one.  It’s an absolutely searing performance. You Should Have Been There! closes with the ominous 1972 “Hellbound Train” which boasts an amazing guitar solo from Malachowski. 

The energy of this performance certainly transcends through to the recording. You should have been there.  I should have been there.  We all should have been there.             

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Links below for PhillyCheeze reviews for Savoy Brown / Kim Simmonds :      

Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown - Goin’ to the Delta

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2014/02/kim-simmonds-and-savoy-brown-goin-to.html

           

Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown - The Devil to Pay

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2015/11/kim-simmonds-and-savoy-brown-devil-to.html

           

Kim Simmonds - Jazzin’ on the Blues

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2017/09/kim-simmonds-jazzin-on-blues.html

           

Savoy Brown - Witchy Feelin’

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2017/09/savoy-brown-witchy-feelin.html

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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Kim Simmonds - Jazzin’ on the Blues

2017 –Panache Records

By Phillip Smith; Sep 9, 2017

The latest solo effort from Kim Simmonds (Savoy Brown) , Jazzin’ on the Blues, is wonderfully brilliant.  Featuring twelve amazing instrumental tracks of Simmonds killing it on acoustic guitar, bass guitar, and harmonica alongside percussionist Ron Keck, this record is destined to stand the test of time. 

Bursting out a Latin groove to kick things off, Simmonds masterfully plays “Dancing on a Memory” with a suave finesse. I absolutely adore this track.  Title track “Jazzin’ on the Blues” and “The Maze” are another couple of stellar originals which shine brightly.  Simmonds’ performance is absolutely flawless.  I also immensely enjoy Simmonds’ stunning covers of Bill Doggett’s “True Blue” and Smokey Robinson’s “Shop Around”.  They are both very nice indeed.  Like a beautiful Technicolor sunset at the end of the day, “Fascination” brings a lovely end to the album. 

Jazzin’ on the Blues is an album I can sit down and enjoy from beginning to end, plus a few more times round again.  It’s that good.

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Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown - The Devil to Pay

2015 – Ruf Records

By Phillip Smith; Nov 14, 2015

The Devil to Pay, the latest from the legendary Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown is a monster set of thirteen all-new, original mojo-infused blues tunes.  Savoy Brown retains their exemplary three man lineup with bassist Pat DeSalvo and drummer Garnet Grimm as Simmonds continues to lay down the law with his guitar and verse.    

Simmonds’ guitar oozes with heartfelt emotion as he explores the deep well of loneliness in “Ain’t Got Nobody”.  He then faces the harsh consequences of infidelity in the title track “The Devil to Pay”, a rambling blues tune with an old school Sun Records rockabilly vibe.  Simmonds rips it up with tremendous slide on “I’ve Been Drinking”.  While “Snakin’” is a nice instrumental to which one can sit back, relax and enjoy, the ominous “Evil Eye” pretty much begs to be turned up full blast so one can completely absorb the radiating guitar licks and badass bassline. This is one killer tune.

I really like this particular incarnation of Savoy Brown.  Simmonds, DeSalvo and Grimm sound so good together, and really know how to tap into that rawer, edgier sound so reminiscent of the early days of rock and roll. The Devil to Pay is a definite ‘keeper’.  

Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown - Goin’ to the Delta

Ruf Records, 2014

By Phillip Smith; February 21, 2014

Keeping with tradition, Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown has returned once again to the studio to record another batch of hot electric Blues for our listening pleasure. The album is called Goin’ to the Delta, and alongside of Simmonds, is bassist Pat DeSalvo and drummer Garnet Grimm. 

What I really like about this disc, besides the music itself, is the cohesiveness of the songs, all penned by Simmonds, by the way.  This is album-oriented music, which is best heard from beginning to end, unlike the music popularized with the MP3 generation, where the song is the final product, and not the album. Simmonds takes us on a journey fit for the Blues, which passes through the realms of infatuation, rejection, loneliness, desperation, and reconciliation.   

Simmonds sets everything up with the first track, “Laura Lee”.  It’s fast-paced with a hint of rockabilly. This is roadhouse Blues at its best.  Following with “Sad News”, he brings it down a couple of notches, both in mood and tempo. If I didn’t know better, I’d say this one, about lost love, was written in the Thirties.  It sounds so timeless and genuine.  Then, there is “Nuthin’ Like the Blues”, a fun and cleverly written homage to the Blues itself, with references to howlin’ wolves, rollin’ and tumblin’, as well as dusting brooms.  Although the song doesn’t sound like the legendary classic, “Crossroads”, it certainly makes me think of it when I hear it. 

I love the way the instrumental track, “Cobra” gets my adrenalin flowing.  I call this ear candy because of its fast moving catchy riffs and hit bluesy licks.  Then, I like the fun little romp Simmonds takes us on, as he heads out for a little free-trade non-committal loving, in the song “Turn Your Lamp On “.   He then breaks out some killer slide on “I Miss Your Love”, as he pines for the woman who left him for another man.  Closing on a positive note, Simmonds plays his heart out and raises the mood and energy with “Going Back”, about going back to his baby because he’s been away too long. 

Savoy Brown has been a mainstay in the Rock and Blues community for the better portion of fifty years, and I’m so glad to see their legacy continue on with the album, Goin’ to the Delta.