Voice of Cedar Lake live at Irish District Music and Arts Festival 6/18/16

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

By Phillip Smith; June 19, 2016

Blue skies and warm weather set the perfect stage for a day of music and relaxation at the seventh annual Irish District Music and Arts Festival, which took place on June 18th.  The Voice of Cedar Lake, composed of guitarist Craig Erickson, vocalist Alicia Strong, bassist John Hall, keyboardist Tom “T-Bone” Giblin, and drummer Jon Wilson took the stage first, opening up for the great Eric Gales. 

Erickson kicked things off with one of my favorite songs from his Sky Train Galaxy album, “Mojo in Memphis”.  Soon afterwards the band broke out the funk and tore into a groovy performance of Rufus and Chaka Kahn’s “Tell Me Something Good”.  Strong’s vocals were powerful and perfect.  Strong belted out more sweet and soulful vocals as the band doled out a rousing cover of Buddy Mile’s “Them Changes”.  I loved the bluesy spin they put on the Bob Marley classic “No Woman No Cry”, as well as the clever mash-up with the Five Stairsteps’ 1970 top-ten hit “O-o-h Child”.  Delbert McClinton’s “Standing on Shaky Ground” was a real treat, highlighted by an outstanding performance by Hall on his seven string bass, and Giblin on organ.  Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground” immediately followed, keeping the groove afloat and the audience on cloud nine. 

  

Watching these musicians in action makes me proud to live in a community which not only has a wealth of great talent, but through appreciation of live music, is able to retain these talented artists we get so much enjoyment from.         

All Photos by Phillip Smith

Craig Erickson

Craig Erickson / John Hall

John Hall

Craig Erickson

John Hall / Tom 'T-Bone' Giblin

Alicia Strong

Alicia Strong

Jon Wilson

Voice of Cedar Lake

Alicia Strong

Craig Erickson

Craig Erickson / Alicia Strong

John Hall

The Janeys - Get Down With the Blues

Grooveyard Records,  2013

By Phillip Smith; December 22, 2013

It has always been a pleasurable treat when Billylee Janey and Bryce Janey join forces to play as The Janeys. With Get Down With the Blues, their third studio release playing together, they continue a family tradition of producing outstanding blues.  Accompanying the talented father/son team is bassist Dan ‘DJ’ Johnson, and drummer Eric Douglas.  Also joining the crew on four tracks with his Hammond organ is Tommy ‘T-Bone’ Giblin.

Get Down With the Blues opens strong and closes even stronger as the Janeys cover Jimi Hendrix’s “Beginnings” on track one, and serving up a very cool rendition of ‘Third Stone From the Sun’ on the last track.  I love the dual electric guitar sound riding atop the percussionary bus driven by Douglas on “Beginnings”. Billylee and Bryce trade licks back and forth as if fighting it out in a psychedelic guitar-centric ‘Thunderdome’. 
I consider “Third Stone From the Sun”, the desert at the end of the meal.  I just want to close my eyes and listen when it comes on.  Johnson and Douglas keep the trance-friendly rhythm going while the Janeys totally let loose on their guitars.  This one is the crème de la crème.

The Janeys offers up quite a soulful rendition of “It’s Not My Cross to Bear” from the Allman Brothers Band’s self-titled album.  I like the way it witfully ends with the closing riff from “Whipping Post”, also from that same Allman Brothers album. Giblin and his Hammond, gives this one authenticity.   Still on the subject of covers, I have to smile when I hear “Mind Bender”, the classic ditty from Stillwater about a mind-bending guitar whose father was a Gibson and mother was a Fender (that’s why they call him Mind Bender).  The Janeys also nail down “The Good Love”, a track from Johnny Winter’s Second Winter album.  Bryce’s deep vocals fit this one very well. 

There’s some really nice originals on the album too.  I really like the slightly unsettling track, “When the Devil Comes Out to Play”.  It has a retro Seventies Blues Rock vibe and just the right amount of fuzz.  “The Rose” is another one that made me perk up and take notice.  Marinated in a big bucket of Southern Rock, I hear a definite Allman Brothers influence running through this one.            

The Janeys scored big with the appropriately titled, Get Down With the Blues. This collection of Blues Rock is a sweet blend of deep covers and interesting originals.            

Bryce Janey - “Burning Flame”

By Phillip Smith

 

Bryce Janey’s newest CD, Burning Flame has been the only disc in my vehicle all week, and I haven’t had the urge to pop in a different disc yet.  That’s just how good this album is.  Chock full of Texas style blues, about motorcycles, guitars, bootleggers, and lost love, with a little swamp thrown in; this eleven track album features the Dan “DJ” Johnson on bass guitar, Eric Douglas on drums, and Tommy T-Bone Giblin on the Hammond organ.      

Janey brings us in with a strong opener, “Chrome Horse”, a blues-ridden rocker, sure to be a favorite of motorcyclists everywhere.  When I hear this one, I think of how great it would be to hear it on the FX television show, Sons of Anarchy.  

If you asked what songs really jump out, I would certainly include, the Jimi Hendrix influenced “Can You Feel It?”  Johnson’s killer bass line drives this one, while Janey lays down some smoking guitar licks.  “Guitar Playing Fool” is one I really feel.  Giblin’s Hammond shines through as Janey sings about making a living playing music.   

There are a couple of covers on the album worth mentioning. The first is “Special Ryder Blues” by Skip James, which Janey has definitively made his own.  I love the bass line on this one, and overall this is one of my favorite cuts on the whole album.  The second cover, “The Stealer”, a Free cover originally recorded in 1970, which has a new more eerie swampy personality.  Another nice selection from the swamp is “The Last Goodbye”, and this is one I am instantly drawn to.  Janey lets loose and the guitar seems to play itself.   I really like this one a lot.

      

Janey has set the bar up another notch, one upping himself again.  Burning Flame is absolutely enjoyable from start to finish.  It is definitely worth exploring.