#726 > Nutmeg Party - Nutmeg (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – Nutmeg Party

Release Date: December 12, 2024

By Phillip Smith; Jan. 18, 2025

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Self-defined on their Bandcamp page as “a homegrown genre-fluid group of spry saplings that have quite the fascination for all things related to musical endeavors”, Nutmeg Party surely fits that description and more. Their music definitely transcends the cookie-cutter genres most bands try to align with. I find their debut six-track EP Nutmeg to be clever and charismatic. This Pittsburgh-based band was formed in 2023 by Andy Lewis (lead vocals/keys/ukulele), Dylan Takach (guitar), Evan Spurlock (bass/vocals), and Hayden Hanna (drums/percussion/vocals).

Behind the piano in Ben Folds-fashion, Lewis’ vocals seem to float in mid-air on the opening track “Pictures”.  This cosmic psych-pop song is wonderfully brilliant.  I love the infectious melody of “Gin & Tonic”. The song invokes a mental time-travel of sorts, as it progresses from an early era roots-music beginning to a fuzz-fueled Seventies rock ending. With a flowing groove and vocals reminiscent of Paul McCartney, “Neptune” instantly transports me to one of my favorite places in the world, the middle of a lawn-section full of hippies jamming out to favorite bands such as Phish and Disco Biscuits. It’s a gorgeous song which digs deep into the soul.

I absolutely love Nutmeg Party’s Nutmeg.  It really is a captivating listen.

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Evan Spurlock, Andy Lewis, Dylan Takach, Hayden Hanna

For more information about Nutmeg Party, visit their Bandcamp page.

#725 > The Hitman Blues Band - Calling Long Distance (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – Nerus Records

By Phillip Smith; Jan. 17, 2025

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

I dig the carefree vibe which emits from The Hitman Blues Band’s tenth album Calling Long Distance. This ten-piece ensemble has been a staple of the New York blues scene since forming in 1986. Fronted by Russell “Hitman” Alexander on lead guitar and vocals, the rest of the band is comprised of Mike Katzman on keys, Mike Porter on bass, Guy LaFountaine on drums, John Kelly on alto sax, Tom Mineo on tenor sax, Eric Altarac on trumpet, Al Alpert on trombone. Also included are backup vocalists Joanna Alexander and Nancy Hampton  and Bob Stander who performs bass on two tracks.

Making contact with those who have crossed over to the other side oftentimes requires serious hoodoo. Hitman leaves no mojo or spirit-communicating device untried in the spirited, horn-infused blues of title-track “Calling Long Distance”. I absolutely love the amphetamine-fueled instrumental “Blood Alley”. Smoking guitar riffs, a singing organ, and wailing saxophone surf a caffeinated beat for smashing good time. The Hitman does a cool job of retooling Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues’ into a real-deal Chicago blues track. The smooth guitar sounds of “Foolish Pride” is riddled with funky licks and a delicious groove. It’s a great song to soak in.

Calling Long Distance is a fun and adventurous listen. I really enjoyed it.

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For more information about the Hitman Blues Band, visit their website https://www.hitmanbluesband.com/

#723 > Eddie 9 Volt - Saratoga (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – Ruf Records

By Phillip Smith; Jan. 4, 2025

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Eddie 9V, aka Brooks Mason first wowed me with his Little Black Flies record in 2021. He continued to draw me in on his 2023 release Capricorn. With his third and latest album, Saratoga, Eddie 9V delivers a gorgeous hat-trick, with this first three albums out the gate all hitting the bullseye. Cowritten with his brother Lane Kelly, Saratoga was recorded by the two multi-instrumentalists in their own studio Echo Deco Studio in Atlanta with guest musicians appearing on horns, lap steel, and fiddle.

Riding a propulsive rhythm with a locomotive beat, Saratoga opens with its title-track. The song bursts open with big waves of energy and poetic verse relating the trapped feelings of small-town living. Eddie’s soulful voice sounds absolutely remarkable. I soak up the goodness of the slow-pace, horn-infused track “Delta”. I can’t help but wrap myself up in its playful swampy groove. I love the fiddle-fueled genre-bending hillbilly hip-hop banger “Wasp Weather”. “Truckee” seemingly draws inspiration from classic rock bands like The Doobie Brothers and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young for its carefree, lazy Sunday feel. It’s a beautiful song. The cover of Mac DeMarco’s “Chamber of Reflection” is a brilliant make-over which takes the song to greater heights. “The Road to Nowhere” brings the record to its close with a western ballad served in a sea of twang-filled guitar topped with vocals reminiscent of music legend Roy Orbinson.  

Eddie 9V is definitely on a hot-streak. I absolutely adore Saratoga from beginning to end.

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For more information about Eddie 9V,  visit the website @  https://www.eddie9volt.com/

Catch up on previous PhillyCheeze reviews featuring Eddie 9V through this link :  https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=Eddie+9V

#721 > FreeWorld - More Love (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – SWIRLDISC

By Phillip Smith; Dec. 28, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

FreeWorld is definitely one of the must-see bands in Memphis Tennessee. For over thirty-seven years, this ever-changing ensemble has been captivating audiences and earning the utmost respect from their contemporaries. They sure have my full attention. In 2012 they were honored to receive a brass note on the Beale Street Walk of Fame. Fronted by Richard Cushing (producer/ band director/ lead vocals/ bass guitars/ shaker/ ratchet), FreeWorld is also comprised of Peter Climie (saxophones/ NuRAD EWI/ tambourine), Cedric Taylor (Hammond B3/ grand piano/ Wurlitzer/ Nord), Alex Schuetrumpf (trumpet/ piccolo trumpet/ flugelhorn), Courtney Reid (lead & backing vocals), Frank Paladino (baritone saxophone), Freedman Steorts (trombone), Walter Hughes (guitars), Matt Sweatt (drums). More Love, their eighth album is a melting pot of fourteen fresh original tracks baptized in the vibrant sounds of funk, jazz, soul, rock, and blues.

I’m instantly charged by the high-vibrational sounds of “Outta Sight”. The track ferociously tears the roof off and opens things up. The rhythm is slathered in funk, the horns are so hot they melt, and the guitar solo is phenomenal. Soaked in that Southern spiritual goodness, title-track “More Love, sung by special guest Jerome Chism with the Tennessee Mass Choir is a beautiful anthem. I dig the addition of slide guitar by special guest Aubrey McCrady into the intoxicating sounds of their reggae song “Heart on the Table”. That’s really unique. In numerology 11:11 refers to a reset or transition. FreeWorld brings it to song form with “11:11 on Beale”, a relaxed horn-fueled jazz instrumental which serves as a backdrop for a free-flowing spoken-word homage to Beale Street by Benjamin Theolonius “IQ” Sanders. It’s a very cool track indeed. “Who Knew” draws me in with its buttery rhythm before it really wows me with the sax-guitar dual, steering the song into a smoking instrumental. I snuggle right in to the feel-good and carefree blanket of “Nothin’ Wrong”. The song reminds me of the playfulness of one of my favorite bands Phish. Closing out the album is “D-Up (Here’s to Diversity)” the second of two bonus tracks. With lyrics written by FreeWorld’s drummer David Skypeck, the song made its first recorded appearance twenty-five years ago on their 1999 album called Diversity. The song was re-recorded in 2020 and featured over three dozen Memphis artists to make a ‘We Are the World”-inspired video with stars like Earl “the Pearl” Banks, Joyce Cobb, Luther Dickinson, Al Kapone and Blind Mississippi Morris. The version on this album is from the 2020 video and I absolutely love it.

FreeWorld’s More Love has everything I like to hear in an album. It has surely landed among my favorites for the year,

 

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D-Up (Here’s to Diversity)

For more information about FreeWorld, visit the website @ https://freeworldmemphis.com   

#719 > Kat Riggins and Her Blues Revival - Revival (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – House of Berry Productions

By Phillip Smith; Dec. 14, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Kat Riggins has been a favorite songstress of mine for the past eight years. This Miami-based blues singer is an absolute gem and I find her music captivating. Her powerful and fearless voice lends an undeniable electric charge to every song she sings.  Revival, her sixth album release contains ten all-original songs featuring producer Tim Mulberry (bass/keys/drums/horns) and guitarist Eric Guess, and backing vocalists Shaelyn Mulberry and Mark Barner.

Smoking guitar licks surrounded by blasts of brass and bustling keys usher the album in a massive blues fashion with “Lucky”. I love Riggins’ Aretha-level vocals as they punch up the funky and riveting “Southern Soul”.  I can’t help but smile when she sings ‘When God made man, I betcha he started with a Southern soul.”.  “New Level” is a tremendous blues-rocker with an infectious riff. Topped with a tasty serving of greasy slide-guitar, this track definitely cuts to the bone. The propelling groove threaded through the heart of “Mojo Thief” sweeps me off my feet and pulls me right in. Riggins pours her magical shaman mojo into “Healer” to bring the album to a beautiful end. I admire the soothing and delicate guitar picking of Guess on this inspirational song. It really is a nice touch.

Kat Riggins and Her Blues Revival has won me over yet again with her rocking blues-soaked soul on Revival. I love it from start to finish.   

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For more information about Kat Riggins, visit the website @  https://www.katriggins.com/music

 

For other PhillyCheeze reviews featuring Kat Riggins visit https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=kat+riggins

#718 > Big Earl's Electric Witness - Get Up Off The Ground (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – Dick Earl Erickson

By Phillip Smith; Dec. 7, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

I find a genuine affinity to the intoxicating sounds of Get Up Off the Ground, the second release from Utah-based blues-rockers Dick Earl’s Electric Witness. Taking third place at the 2023 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, this family-centric band certainly grabbed my attention with their masterfully crafted songs, smooth vocals, searing harmonica licks, and tight rhythm section. With Dick Earl Ericksen at the helm on guitar, banjo, harmonica, jaw harp, and vocals, he is joined by his son Isaac Ericksen (co-producer/bass guitar), his wife Alice Ericksen (co-producer/backing vocalist), Mari Ericksen (drums/percussion/backing vocals), Zoe Ericksen (backing vocals) Thomas Anderson (guitars/kalimba/charango/backing vocals), and Matt Green (organ/keys).

The album opens with title track “Get Up Off The Ground” which emits a very cool spaghetti-western/down-at-the-crossroads vibe. Topped with deliciously twangy guitar and a fiery harp performance, this is an absolute treat. Following up right behind is an ode to hitting the open road “Black Lines and White Crosses”. This call-back to the trucker songs of the Seventies has an infectious hook and strikes me with an instant familiarity. The Electric Witness serves up a big fluffy platter of funky blues with “Eggs”. I love the jam-band friendly approach they take with this track. It reminds me of one of my all-time favorite bands Phish. A thick groove, a pounding beat and thick bass guitar opens up the Latin-infused “Vinyard” for Dick to deliver a bone-crushing dose of scorching harp. This one is a downright amazing pozole of sound. Dick delicately balances his troubadour vocals and extraordinary harmonica prowess on “On Her Heart”. It’s a wonderful track.

Get Up Off the Ground hits like a classic Steve Miller Band record, as blues, rock, western, and Latin sounds merge together for big sound. Dick Earl’s Electric Witness has sure won me over with this record.

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For more information about Dick Earl’s Electric Witness, visit the website @  https://dickearlselectricwitness.com/

 

Find Dick Earl’s Electric Witness on Bandcamp too.

#716 > Antonio Vergara - The Fury (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – AVA Records

By Phillip Smith; Nov. 21, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

The Fury by Antonio Vergara is one of the 2025 Grammy-nominated releases for Best Contemporary Blues Album. From the first song of this thirteen-track original masterpiece, I surrender my utmost attention in return for a one-of-a-kind mystical blues journey.  Engineer/producer/multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Vergara boasts a career which has stretched over three decades, and the innovation and passion poured into this album definitely shows.

A tribal beat ushers the record in with “My Lucky Mojo” as Vergara’s melodic vocals float skyward. As soon as I hear him unleash his guitar, I knew this album was going to be absolutely amazing. “Delta Shine” encapsulates me with its riveting intro. The song is filled with unexpected treats within the groove. Vergara, with resonator guitar in hand, takes the listener for a walk through a Mississippi delta swamp on “Hoodoo”. An awe-inspired harmonica accompaniment is the icing on the cake. The horn-infused deep-blues groove which carries “Guitar Tree” pops like a secret hoedown in the dark delta woods. World-class Afro-fusion artist Tito Da Fire lends his voice to the spaghetti-western-friendly ballad “The Rebel’s Right”. I love how the song unravels into a furious guitar-heavy flurry of spoken word. Vergara cleverly brings The Fury to its final destination with “Outro”, a nearly fifteen-minute meditative experience filled with Native American chants, voodoo-inspired sound-bites, and the mysterious sounds of nighttime in the boondocks.

The Fury takes the Blues, bursts through to the other side and sticks the landing. It is a remarkable listen. I highly recommend it to all music fans.

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#714 > Piper & the Hard Times - Revelation (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

Piper & the Hard Times

Revelation

2024 – Hard Times Records

By Phillip Smith; Nov. 9, 2024
Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com
 

Revelation by Piper & the Hard Times is one of the most riveting blues albums gracing my to-review stack of CDs in the past several months. I love the band’s energy, vibrant sound, and groove-filled songs. It’s no wonder they pulled down first place at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis earlier this year. Fronted by vocalist Al ‘Piper’ Green, the band is also comprised of Steve ‘The Conductor’ Eagon on guitar, Dave ‘Sexy Boy Himself’ Colella on drums/percussion, Amy ‘The Professor’ Frederick on piano/Hammond organ, and Parker ‘PH Funkstick’ Hawkins on bass. Guests include Shaun Murphy, Lisa Oliver-Gray, Melissa Gardner, Chris ‘Freight Train’ Floyd, Eddie Meyer, and Dick Aven.

From the opening song “Trouble Man”, I was totally onboard. This up-tempo, organ-infused jam quickly grabbed my attention with Green’s husky baritone voice and Eagon’s ripping guitar licks. “Hard Times” is a wonderful hard-driving blues-rocker. Piper’s vocals shine and the band absolutely cooks.  To hear the fabulous Shaun Murphy (Meatloaf, Bob Seger, Little Feat) step up to the microphone on this song puts a smile on my face. Hosting an infectious hook, and a funky groove, title-track “Revelation” truly wins me over. With Freight Train on harp, “Crave You” becomes a surefire barn-burner. Piper breaks out in full Howlin’ Wolf-mode on this one. I love hearing Murphy lend her amazing voice to “Walk With Me”.  It’s a wonderful experience to listen to her bounce lines back and forth with Piper.

No doubt, Piper & the Hard Times’ Revelation is a must for the blues fan. The record is definitely ranked among my favorites of 2024.

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 For more information about Piper & the Hard Times, visit their website:  https://www.piperandthehardtimes.com/

#711 > Don Aaron Mixon - The Welcome Mat (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – Don Aaron Mixon

By Phillip Smith; Oct. 26, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

I knew I was in for the listen of a lifetime after just reading the back cover of Don Aaron Mixon’s double-album The Welcome Mat. What I had read was the narrative introduction and title-track to this wonderful, coming-of-age, outlaw-county-rock opera. Like a snake bite, this southern man’s version of The Who’s Tommy rapidly grabbed my attention, and held my focused attention as Mixon sang about growing up in The Welcome Mat trailer park in Pensacola, Florida. With Mixon on vocals, guitars, pedal steel, bass, keyboard, mandolin, harmonica, and drums, he is joined by long-time friend Lindberg Smith as narrator, Rob Hammersmith on drums, and Maria Grigoryeva on violin.

I love how Mixon floors the gas pedal after the initial introduction with “Double Wide Soul”. This song rocks with a searing ferocity and is generously slathered in grease. Heavy, slide-infused and grinding guitar riffs propel Mixon’s anthem to his hell-raising, neighborhood daredevil friend in “The Myth of Lindberg Smith”. It’s a hell of an homage. Gonzo-inspired stories of bikers, heroin addicts, seasonal thieves, and Mexican wrestlers lead into the key events which pushed Don into a defining moment of self-defense in “The Welcome Mat (Pt. 1) as narrated by Smith. Mixon’s song “Coal Miner & Little Boy Blue” has a Springsteen, blue-collar appeal. I dig the CB radio-inspired lyrics. Mixon adds a mysterious cloak of suspense to “Peeping Tom & Tammy” on guitar while Smith tells the eerie tale of a trailer break-in overnight which wake young Mixon and his mama from their sleep. I love the opening line, ‘She gets up at the ass-crack of dawn’ which ushers in “A Hard Way to Make an Easy Living”. The amazing guitar runs and hard-scrabble lyrics have a genuine Tom Petty feel. “The Welcome Mat (Pt. III) serves as the epilog of Don’s life at the trailer park. This music-infused narration brings The Welcome Mat to an end with a nearly ten-minute long bundle of fascinating stories about hooligans, ghouls, graverobbers, feuds, UFO sightings, Pentecostal preachers, and Old Joe.

Don Aaron Mixon’s The Welcome Mat sits at the top of my favorite albums of the year so far. It’s absolutely brilliant.  

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#696 : Chris BadNews Barnes - BadNews Travels Fast (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

2024 – Gulf Coast Records

 By Phillip Smith; July 25, 2024

 Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

BadNews Travels Fast, the latest album from Nashville-based bluesman Chris BadNews Barnes drew my attention quite quickly. His fearless approach to the blues makes for a splendid outlet for his witty lyrics. Produced by multi-Grammy-winning Tom Hambridge, this eleven-track record of all originals features Barnes on lead vocals with Hambridge on drums/percussion/backing vocals, Kenny Greenberg on guitars, Tommy MacDonald on bass, Mike Rojas on keyboards, Max Abrams on saxophone, Steve Patrick on trumpet, and Tabitha Fair on backing vocals.  This release also features guests Jimmy Hall, Sugaray Rayford, and Walter Trout.

Hall steps in with harp in hand as Barnes and his band release a ferocious blast of blues on “Badnews Travels Fast”. I love the high-energy and tight musicianship packed into this barn-burner. To keep the fire burning, the legendary Walter Trout lends his guitar mastery to “True Blue” for an amazing listen. Fair’s vocals add a beautiful and soulful touch. This is truly an outstanding song. It brings a smile to my face to hear Sugaray Rayford on “You Right Baby”. It’s fun one indeed. Greenberg and Rojas fabulously keep the blues flowing as Barnes’ sharp wit turns its focus to the boudoir in “Skin to Skin”. Bounties on heads and unshakable outlaws are subjects of Barnes’ intriguing spaghetti-western landscape for “Ambushed by the Blues”.  It’s absolutely brilliant. An unexpected trunk of funk is busted open for “Do the Houdini”. I dig the touch of Stax lurking behind the keys and bassline. It makes for a playful, infectious groove that pulls me right along as I enjoy the musical ride.

Chris BadNews Barnes’ BadNews Travels Fast is a refreshing record of blues which has a way of brightening the mood in a most enjoyable way.    

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For more information about Chris BadNews Barnes, visit the website at https://www.chrisbarnesnyc.com/

 

  

#695 : Johnny Burgin - Ramblin' From Coast to Coast (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – Straight Shooter Records

By Phillip Smith; July 20, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Johnny Burgin continues to produce blues music in its purest form with his latest album Ramblin’ From Coast to Coast. Nominated for a Blues Music Award in 2023 for Traditional Blues Male Artist, Burgin’s guitar performances share top-billing with his song writing, elevating him to a level of high-regard. Recorded in assorted studios across the nation in Dallas, Cincinnati, Memphis, and Rochester, New York, then mixed at Greaseland Studios in San Jose, California by Kid Andersen, the album’s title Ramblin’ From Coast to Coast rightly fits. The record features a dozen solid-as-hell blues tracks and brings to the table as many special guests including John Blues Boyd, Rae Gordon, Ben Levin, Hanna PK, Jad Tariq, Jon Hay, and Dylan Bishop.

 Burgin ignites the album with title-track “Ramblin’ From Coast to Coast”. This cookin’ track includes Tariq on guitar and is backed by a rocking rhythm section featuring drummer Danny Banks, bassist Jon Hay, and pianist Christian Dozzler. Following immediately afterward is “Getting’ My Blues On”. I absolutely adore this. Burgin takes the song to the moon and back with his cosmic, note-bending delivery and soulful vocals. The backing vocals from Lisa Leuschner Andersen, Marina Crouse, and Jill Dineen are the icing on the cake and construct a sort of Hendrix-meets-Motown vibe. The flow continues strong with the classic Chicago Blues sound of “I Need Something Sweet”. Burgin’s lyrical mastery sets this up to be a timeless classic. The extremely talented Hanna PK accompanies Burgin on “Fresno Woman”. With Burgin breaking out the slide, I love hearing them trading guitar and piano licks back and forth. It sounds great. A juicy blast of harp from Burgin launches “I’m Playing Straight” as Little Village recording artist John Blues Boyd lends his suave vocals. The converging sound of guitars, piano, and harmonica creates a Mississippi juke joint experience for the listener. In a classic blues fashion, Burgin’s message to listen to one’s gut and refrain from second-guessing is the subject of “I Was Right the First Time”.  Accompanied by Levin on piano, this song swings with finesse.

 Ramblin’ From Coast To Coast is a high-caliber traditional blues album which all blues fans should give a listen to. It’s genuine, and it’s fantastic.  

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For more information about Johnny Burgin, visit the website at https://johnnyburgin.com

Catch up on previous PhillyCheeze reviews featuring Johnny Burgin through this link https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=johnny+burgin

This album available on Bandcamp

#690 : Sam Joyner - Come What May (I'll Always Love You) (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – Sam Joyner

Release Date : May 25, 2024

By Phillip Smith; June 29, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Come What May (I’ll Always Love You), the latest album from New Orleans-based Sam Joyner elevates my mood with each listen. A 2017 International Blues Challenge Finalist originally from Gary, Indiana with parents hailing from Tunica, Mississippi (birthplace of James Cotton) and Turkey Scratch, Arkansas (birthplace of Robert Lockwood Jr, and home to Levon Helm), Joyner’s music is a confluence of Chicago Blues, Southern Soul, and Funk. His whisky-soaked vocals and finesse on the keys pair perfectly together for a twelve-track listening experience to feed one’s soul. Backing Joyner are Lil Ray Neal, Jellybean Alexander, The Saint Anthony, Guitar Slim Jr., Kevin Haynes, Mayuni Shara, Marc Stone, Seizo Shibayama, Brian Wingard, and Joe Eagle.

The album opens with the big, smokin’ blues of “It’s That Mojo That Makes Me Stay” as Joyner sings about love, mojo bags and cheating women. An infectious funky rhythm takes the listener to “Teddy’s Juke Joint”, a club just north of Baton Rouge where Joyner frequently performs. It’s a fun track and puts the listener smack dab in the middle of a good time. Joyner beautifully covers David Allen Coe’s “Tennessee Whiskey”. This horn-laced, slow-dance R&B version of the 1981 Billboard US Hot Country Songs is absolutely incredible. His take on Robert Cray’s “Too Many Cooks” features a searing guitar intro and amazing keyboard runs. I love how Joyner can take a song like this and put his own unique thumbprint on it. One of my favorite Muddy Waters songs is “Hoochie Coochie Man”, and Joyner’s barrel-house cover sweeps me off my feet.

Sam Joyner’s Come What May (I’ll Always Love You) is a blues record which is a splendid listen from start to finish, and I’ll be listening to this one a lot.    

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For more information about Sam Joyner, visit the website at https://samjoyer.com  

 

#689 : Sierra Green & The Giants - Here We Are (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

Release Date : June 21, 2024

By Phillip Smith; June 22, 2024

 

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

I’m absolutely loving this new album Here We Are from New Orleans-based Sierra Green & The Giants. Green’s vocals are heavily-steeped in the MoTown sound. Her band, The Giants are as tight as a band can be. For a bonus, J.D. Simo is somehow involved too.

The record rolls out on a funky groove with “Can You Get to That?”.  I love her buttery cover of Bob Seger’s “Come to Poppa” rewired as “Come to Mama”. Her voice sits among the Soul-singing greats. Being from New Orleans, it’s quite fitting to take on a Meters song. “Break in the Road” is that, and cooks. The way the horns tear loose on “Dreams” is a head-turner. There’s another couple of terrific back-to-back covers with “This is a Man’s World” and “He Called Me Baby”. 

I highly recommend giving this album a listen. Sierra Green & The Giants are certainly a band to keep a watch on,

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For more information about Sierra Green & The Giants, visit the website at

https://sierragreenandthegiants.com/

 

 

Apologies to those who enjoy seeing who the musicians are song-writers are on the albums I review. That information was not available to me at the time of the writing of this review.  Regardless, give this album a listen.  It’s fantastic!   

#687 : Jennifer Westwood & the Handsome Devils - Mad Man's World (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

2024 – Maverick Ranch

Release Date : June 17, 2024

By Phillip Smith; June 8, 2024

 

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

Almost nine years have passed since Jennifer Westwood and the Handsome Devils released Greetings From This Town. I listened to that record heavily for a very long time. Mad Man’s World, their latest album is a fantastic ten-track recording. It was very much worth the wait. I absolutely love Westwood’s voice. It sounds magnificent as she pours it over an amalgam of Detroit Soul, Muscle Shoals, and American Roots music. With Westwood fronting the band on vocals, the Handsome Devils are comprised of Westwood’s husband Dylan Dunbar on guitar, bassist Chuck Bartels, drummers Ron Pangburn and David Below, percussionist Brandon Husken, keyboardist Lucky Haskins, horn players Joshua James and Jimmy Smith, and backing vocalists Susan Marshall and Reba Russell.

Mad Man’s World opens up in a vibrant Latin western-scape “Viva Terlingua”. This homage to Jerry Jeff Walker has all the brilliance of an Ennio Morricone spaghetti western score. Title-track “Mad Man’s World” follows up in a bluesy Dap-Kings fashion topped with horns and swirling keys, as Westwood calls out the systematic misogyny which has plagued the world since the beginning of time.  My ears perk up even more when Dunbar serves up a Clapton-esque guitar solo. He then pulls me tightly in to “Bulletproof” with his lingering, blues-soaked licks. From a delicate and vulnerable beginning, the song emerges as an anthem to overcoming one’s obstacles. I was gob-smacked when I heard their cover of The Parliaments’ 1967 hit “(I Wanna) Testify”. Written by George Clinton, this track is kept funky and fueled with Sixties soul. The infectious melody of “Bad Luck Charm” beckons me in to a melancholy masterpiece about bad luck and heartache. “How am I Supposed to Live This Way” brings the album to its close with a driving rhythm and cornucopia of sound. It truly is a grand finale.  

Jennifer Westwood and the Handsome Devils’ Mad Man’s World is undeniably great from beginning to end. It’s one of my favorite albums I have heard this year.       

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For more information about Jennifer Westwood, visit the website at https://www.jenniferwestwood.com

 

Follow the link below for more PhillyCheeze reviews featuring Jennifer Westwood:

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=jennifer+westwood

  

#685 : Kevin Burt & Big Medicine - Thank You Brother Bill : A Tribute To Bill Withers (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2023 – Gulf Coast Records

By Phillip Smith; May 18, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

I’ve been listening to Kevin Burt perform his magic behind the microphone for almost thirty-two years now. He is one of the most gifted singers I know. His well of talent runs quite deep and that talent brought him awards in three categories at the 2018 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. He walked away that year with First Place Solo/Duo , First Place Solo/Duo Guitarist, and the Lee Oskar Award for Best Harmonica Player.

His fourth album Thank You Brother Bill (A Tribute to Bill Withers) breathes new life into a dozen Bill Withers songs. It couples Burt with a stellar backing ensemble called Big Medicine comprised of Scot Southerland on bass, Ken Valdez on lead/rhythm guitar/backing vocals, and Eric Douglas on drums.  

From the opening notes of “Who is He (and What is He To You)?” I’m all-in. I love how Burt's voice suavely fills the air radiating off the funky groove constructed from Big Medicine. The funk gets stronger on “Kissing My Love”. Topped with a smokin’ splash of harp, this track absolutely cooks as Valdez tosses in his searing guitar licks. The tempo drops and the bluesy soulful goodness of “World Keeps Going Round and Round” hits with an amazing heaviness as the tension tightens like a tourniquet. Then “Just the Two of Us” rolls in like a ray of sunshine with Burt opening up the song on harmonica. I can’t help but feel good when I hear this song. It’s such a delight. I absolutely love his cover of “Ain’t No Sunshine”. The emotion Burt packs into his delivery on this track cuts to the bone. It’s additionally fortified by Douglas slapping out a ferocious beat on congas. “Lean on Me” brings back a flood of memories of hanging out with one of my best friends growing up. The song is a gift of time-travel, as I recall those care-free days.  Bringing the album to its close, is the title-track “Thank You Brother Bill”, written by Burt to show his gratitude and “Big Love” for music of Bill Withers. It really makes for the perfect closer for this album.

Thank You Brother Bill is one of the most perfect tribute albums I’ve heard by a single artist. Kevin Burt does an outstanding job of taking on these treasured songs and I highly recommend this recording.

 

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For more information about Kevin Burt, visit his website at https://www.kevinburtmusic.net

 

Follow the link below for more PhillyCheeze reviews featuring Kevin Burt:

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#684 : Big Head Todd & the Monsters - Her Way Out (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – Big Records

Release Date : May 31, 2024

By Phillip Smith; May 18, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

Her Way Out, the first album from Big Head Todd in seven years, is very much worth the wait. This ten-track record is loaded with extraordinary rockers slathered in rootsy, bluesy grooves. Todd Mohr returns to the studio for this recording with Rob Squires on bass, Brian Nevin on drums, and Jeremy Lawton on keys,lap/pedal steel, and backing vocals.

Big Head Todd leads off with the three singles previously released from this album, fortifying the listening experience for a very strong start. First out the gate is title-track “Her Way Out”. Riding a driving rhythm laced with pedal steel and piano, it sure has a way of reminding me of Tom Petty, and I like it a lot. “Thunderbird” follows up next in a big southern rocking way, but with a riff reminiscent of classic AC/DC. According to Mohr, the film American Graffiti was the inspiration for this song which waxes nostalgic for the glory days of fast cars, Wolfman Jack and James Dean. The third single in this opening trifecta is “Crush” which walks the listener through a shattering break-through with a laid-back groove and Mohr’s guitar-driven finesse. I love the way the pulsing intro to “Don’t Kill Me Tonight” seems to push the listener into a runaway train in which the conductor sings the story of Annie Oakley, Frank Butler, and Buffalo Bill. Decorated with spaghetti-western twang and punk-friendly riffs, the song really snatched my attention. “Rainbow Girl” brings the record to its close with a rocking, pixie-dust coated, working-class, love-ballad riding a poppy beat, cosmic sounds, and topped with a little feedback. It’s a fun track indeed.

Big Head Todd restores album-oriented rock with this record. It effortlessly flows from beginning to end. Her Way Out certainly lands among my favorites of the year so far.      

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For more information about Big Head Todd and this album, visit the website : www.bigheadtodd.com

#682 : Alastair Greene - Standing Out Loud (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

2024 – Ruf Records

Release Date : May 17, 2024

 

By Phillip Smith; May 11, 2024

 Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Alastair Greene is one of those artists I am always excited to hear new music from. He really does elevate blues-rock to a whole new level. In the past, Greene has worked with other favorites of mine such as Alan Parsons, and Sugaray Rayford. For his latest and eleventh solo record Standing Out Loud, Greene has enlisted the extraordinary J.D. Simo to co-produce and engineer this off-the-chain listening experience.

The churning, driving rhythm of “Slow Burn” pulls me in tight for a tasty dish of ZZ-Top-inspired Texas blues slathered in a spicy slide sauce. “In Trouble”  is an incredible-sounding blues-rocker. If KISS played blues, this track definitely represents what it would sound like. It’s indeed a favorite. I love hearing that swampy slide guitar as it echoes out from “The Last to Cry”. Greene slows it way down for “Rusty Dagger” for an amazing listen where notes seem to hang in mid-air. His guitar-mastery absolutely shines on this one. A stellar cover of Rory Gallagher’s “Bullfrog Blues” brings this record to its finish. It truly is a smashing performance.

It's refreshing to hear such an unbridled approach to blues as Greene and Simo exhibit in this recording. It’s raw, it’s to the point, and it rocks.

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For more information about Alastair Greene, visit his website at www.alastairgreene.com 

Follow the link below for more PhillyCheeze reviews featuring Alastair Greene:
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#681 : Misty Blues - Silver Lining (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – Guitar One Records

By Phillip Smith; May 5, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

Silver Lining the fifth and most recent album from Misty Blues is filled with eleven amazing all-original blues performances. Celebrating their twenty-fifth year together, this Massachusetts-based blues band is led by vocalist and cigar box guitarist Gina Coleman, with Seth Fleischmann on guitar, Bill Patriquin on bass, Rob Tatten on drums, Aaron Dean on sax, and Diego Mongue on bass/guitar/drums/pedal steel.

Coleman’s angelic voice ushers in the listening experience on “Seduction by Blues” with guest harp player Ed Moran, lulling me in for a big surprise. The whole band breaks into a furious, feral delivery with crashing drums, swirling keys, and squealing horns. It’s downright amazing. Title-track “Silver Lining” slides in next with a cool, smokey fifties jazz vibe. Fleishmann tears off a searing guitar performance. The rhythm is cooking and Dean’s sax is so hot, it’s pert near volcanic. “Shake These Blues” is a vibrant southern soul rocker which brings to mind those songs I love from the Black Crowes. They way the band weaves a Latin influence into a blues-meets-jazz piece “Sofrito My Blues” is very intriguing. There’s a lot going on with this song and I find a new ear-catching morsal with every listen. With an infectious opening riff “Enough Lovin’ For Two” comes to life. It’s a big funky song with sultry vocals, hot guitar licks, and a steamy sax delivery.

Misty Blues takes big-band blues to whole new level with Silver Lining. It’s a terrific album.

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For more information about Misty Blues, visit the website at www.mistybluesband.com

 

Available on Bandcamp