#759- > Lisa Mann’s Northwestern All-Stars featuring Terrie Odabi - The Great Women of Blues (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2025 – JayRay Records
Release Date : May 23, 2025
 
By Phillip Smith; July 19, 2025
 
Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com
 

In 2023 two-time BMA recipient Lisa Mann and drummer Jimi Bott (The Proven Ones) were asked to form a supergroup of Pacific Northwest artists to appear at the Groove Now Concert Series in Basel, Switzerland.  With Mann on vocals/bass, Bott on drums, Ben Rice (PDX Hustle) and Jason ‘JT’ Thomas (Roy Hargrove, Snarky Puppy) on guitars, and Louis “King Louie” Pain on organ, they forged Lisa Mann’s Northwestern All-Stars. The band was asked to perform a tribute to the great women of blues for the show.  To fill the request, they also brought in five-time BMA nominee blues singer Terrie Odabi. This show took place June 9, 2023 at the Atlantis Club and was recorded live.

The eleven-track album opens with Odabi lending her beautiful voice to an a capella sampling of “Wade in the Water” which included a spoken-word narrative about the song’s origin. Following next is a roof-splitting cover of Etta James’ “I Sing the Blues”. It truly is magnificent. I break out an instant smile when I hear the hot guitars, swirling organ, and sultry vocals pour freely from their riveting delivery of “Let the Juke Joint Jump”. This song was originally recorded by Koko Taylor and was on her 1993 Force of Nature album.  I am instantly pulled into their Big Mama Thornton song “Ball & Chain” by its elegant and toneful guitar introduction. Odabi’s voice is fabulous and captivating. The song absolutely cooks. I adore Mann’s heartfelt performance of Ella James’ ’67 blues classic “I’d Rather Go Blind”. The band plays this with perfection. Bringing the recording its end is the Willie Dixon-penned party song “Wang Dang Doodle”. Howlin’ Wolf recorded the song in 1960, and five years later it was recorded by Koko Taylor for Checker Records. It became an instant hit for her and reached number thirteen on Billboard’s R&B chart.  Lisa Mann’s Northwestern All Stars embrace the song to its fullest for an eight-and-a-half-minute shindig.

Mann and Bott did a terrific job of putting together this Northwestern All-Star group featuring Odabi. Their recording genuinely honors the influential women of blues and their music. I hope the they come together for another recording. This one was exceptional.  

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For more information about Lisa Mann, visit her website : https://www.lisamannmusic.com/

For more information about Terrie Odabi, visit her website :  https://terrieodabi.com/

Nancy Wright - Playdate!

2016 –  Vizztone

By Phillip Smith; Sep. 25, 2016

In 2013, San Francisco musician, Nancy Wright pulled down the West Coast Blues Hall of Fame’s Blues Saxophonist of the Year award.  She’s been touring with Tommy Castro for the past couple of years, and has just wrapped up her latest album, Playdate!.  For this project, she has enlisted a slew of top tier blues talent – Tommy Castro, Victor Wainwright, Elvin Bishop, and Joe Louis Walker to name a few.  Her band consists of producer/guitarist Christopher “Kid” Anderson, with Chris Burns on keys, bassist Joe Kyle Jr., drummer J. Hansen, Tom Poole on trumpet, and Faris Jarrah on trombone, and percussionist Martin Windstad.

Guest vocalist Wee Willie Walker gives a standout performance and Wright gets down on sax, as the gang breaks out the sweet funk on the Willie Harper classic, “Why You Wanna Do It”.  I fall hook, line and sinker for this track.  It’s absolutely fabulous.  I also have to crank up the volume when the soulful “Been Waiting That Long” kicks in.  Sung by Frank Bey, who toured with the Otis Redding Review in the sixties, this killer song was written by Wright’s friend and mentor, the late, great Lonnie Mack.  Kyle’s funky bassline grabs ahold and doesn’t let go on “Warranty”, a smooth bluesy track featuring the lovely and silky vocal talents of Terrie Odabi. 

Wright pulls in the carefree and classic Motown sound on original track, “Good Loving Daddy”.  It’s a terrific listen for sure.  Playdate! winds down and closes out with the with the slow and wonderfully bluesy “Soul Blue”, which features the spectacular guitar sounds of Chris Cain.  This album is a definite keeper.