#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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#710 > Jovin Webb - Drifter (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – Blind Pig Records
By Phillip Smith; Oct. 19, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

It is exciting to see a new musician take the blues scene by storm. Gonzalas, Louisiana native Jovin Webb, who captured the hearts of television audiences on Season 18 of American Idol in 2020, now has a spectacular new album called Drifter and is signed to Blind Pig Records. Produced by the four-time Grammy winning Tom Hambridge, the album is destined to be a grand-slam. With Webb on vocals and harmonica, he is joined by Hambridge on drums, background vocals, and percussion, Kenny Greenberg on guitar, Mike Rojas on piano and keys, and Rob Cureton on bass guitar.

Webb delivers a striking and soulful performance on “Save Me”, a powerful original he wrote with Hambridge and Richard Fleming. The way Greenberg injects a dreamy texture to this heartwarming track on guitar pulls everything together. The opening bassline on “I’m a Drifter” instantly pulls me in to this propelling anthem with a marching magnetic pulse. I can’t help but smile when the electric piano boogie of “Wig on Wrong” kicks in. This one is surely a standout. I love the way Webb pours his whole being into “Mine Someday” and belts the song out of the ballpark. His voice is a beautifully strong one. Webb pours the icing on the cake as he brings the album to its close with a stellar cover of “Born Under a Bad Sign”. Featuring Max Abrams on saxophone and Julio Diaz on trumpet, this is an absolutely amazing track.   

Jovan Webb’s Drifter won me over upon my first listen. This instant classic garners my highest of recommendations.      

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#709 > Scott Weis Band - Live in Europe (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – Scott Weis

By Phillip Smith; Oct. 12, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Live in Europe, the eighth release from Scott Weis Band packs the raw essence of his live shows into a bootleg-type recording made with four microphones and a two-track board from performances across four different cities in Germany. This Pennsylvania-based blues-rock band has been on my radar for just over four years now, and have very much enjoyed each of the studio albums I have reviewed. This is an interesting disc.  It reminds me in ways of John Mayall’s Live in 1967 discs featuring Peter Green, John McVie, and Mick Fleetwood in a kind of way. With Weis standing front and center on guitar and lead vocals, he is joined by Robert Kopec on bass guitar, and Roger Voss on drums.

This fourteen-track release begins with hard-driving title-track off his most recent studio album called “Raise Your Hands”. Weis’ guitar performance is searing. Their smoking cover of ZZ Topp’s “Jesus Just Left Chicago” sounds best at high volume. I love their cover of Chris Stapleton’s ‘Tennessee Whiskey”. That is such a beautiful song, and Weis sings it with a soulful delivery. “Pride and Soul” off the Simmer Me Down album surfs a heavy-rockin’ Texas-style blues riff and is topped with an amazing guitar solo. The way he plays that swampy slide on “Motherless” takes me right to the Mississippi Delta. They attack “Right Where It Belongs” with flash and fury and it sounds great. They bring this record to an end with “Have You Ever Loved a Woman” which runs just a little over ten minutes. Lyrically it is different from the Freddie King version but the essence remains as Weis makes this his own with amazing licks and runs.  

Live in Europe captures the energy of Scott Weis Band’s live shows and brings it directly to the listener.        

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Visit Scott Weis Band online at https://scottweisband.com

 

Check out additional PhillyCheeze reviews of Scott Weis Band with this link:

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#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:

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=kevin+burt

 

 

#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:
PhillyCheeze's Rock & Blues Reviews: Search results for alastair greene (phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com)                 

                       

#672 : Linwood Taylor - Two Sides (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – Zavuya Music LLC

 By Phillip Smith; April 7, 2024

 Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

  

There’s a huge retro-blues appeal to the new album from Washington DC area bluesman Linwood Taylor. Taylor, whose musical influences include Muddy Waters, Albert Collins, and Luther Allison recorded Two Sides live in a couple of sessions in 2021 at two different venues. One location featured five songs from the electric set, and the other featured five songs from the acoustic set. With Taylor mastering guitars and vocals, his band is comprised of Steve Wolf on bass, Joe Wells on drums, and Sol Roots on guitars and backing vocals.

The electric side begins with some party-infused Chicago blues as they roll out a smokin’ cover of Bonnie Lee’s “I’m Good”. With a rocking soulful riff, “Safe to Say” quickly draws me in. The energy reminds me of the Black Crowes in a way. The riveting swamp blues of Slim Harpo’s “Shake Your Hip” is a treat to hear. It is fearless and raw, just like the blues should be.  

The slide on dobro puts a smile on my face as the acoustic side starts with a timeless delta blues style original “Love My Baby”. This side heats up even more as Taylor takes on the classic “Rollin’ and Tumblin’” and makes it his own. For acoustic blues, a Robert Johnson track is a must, and Taylor does an excellent job of performing “Dust My Broom”.

Fans of real-deal blues will definitely want to check Two Sides from Linwood Taylor out. It’s as solid as it gets.   

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Visit Linwood Taylor's Bandcamp page to purchase the recording.

 

#660 : Mike Zito - Life is Hard (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – Gulf Coast Records

By Phillip Smith; Feb. 9, 2024

 

Release Date : February 23, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

I’ve been writing about the music of Mike Zito since my earliest days of reviewing albums.  His literal finesse and musical mastery propel his songs into a realm of their own.  Zito’s latest album Life is Hard stands apart from the rest.  Drenched with passion, love, and grief, this record is a heart-felt dedication to his wife Laura who succumbed to cancer last summer.  Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith team up again to produce as well as lend their talents as guitarists, with Reese Wynans on keys, Calvin Turner on bass, and Lemar Carter on drums.

“Lonely Man” hits first with a cooking rhythm, searing guitar, and rolling keys.  It is then topped with a healthy serving of sax from Paulie Cerra.  This Little Milton cover absolutely swings and it sounds great.  The blues gets serious and real as Zito tears it up on title track “Life is Hard”, originally by Fred James.  I’m left speechless as his guitar openly wails from emotion.  I dig how he injects a Chuck Berry vibe into the classic Lefty Frizzell song “No One to Talk to (But the Blues)”.  Wymans gives the song a Little Richard-treatment on keys for an energetic accompaniment.  I love the cover of Tinsley Ellis’ “Dying to do Wrong”.  This cowboy-blues track runs along an ominous set of rails and I am instantly drawn in.  I can’t help but tear up when I hear him take on the Guess Who song “These Eyes”.  The production on this track is superb, featuring Jennifer Kumma and Anna Spina on French horn, and Jade Macrae and Dannielle Deandrea on background vocals.  “Without Loving You”, a Zito-original, has an intriguing, progressive element which captivates me as it pulls me into its crawling hypnotic rhythm.  Life is Hard concludes with a solemn rendition of Gary Davis’ 1960 gospel blues spiritual “Death Don’t Have No Mercy”.  As the song approaches its finish, it wonderfully swells with the sound of spirits and the ethers until total silence suddenly crashes.

Life is Hard is a blues album to be listened to in its entirely.  This is one everyone needs to hear.  

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Track list

1 - Lonely Man

2 - Life Is Hard

3 - Have a Talk with God

4 - Forever My Love

5 - No One to Talk to (But the Blues)

6 - Dying to Do Wrong

7 - These Eyes

8 - Darkness

9 - Without Loving You

10 - Nobody Moves Me Like You Do

11 - Death Don’t Have No Mercy

12 - Forever My Love (radio edit)

 

 For more information about the artist, visit this website : https://www.mikezito.com/

 For past reviews mentioning Mike Zito on PhillyCheezeBlues : 

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=mike+zito

 

#658 : Bernard Allison - Luther's Blues (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – Ruf Records

By Phillip Smith; Feb. 3, 2024

Release Date : January 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Bernard Allison’s records have always included a song or two written by his father the renowned blues recording artist Luther Allison ( 1939 – 1997 ).  Luther’s Blues, the latest album from Bernard, celebrates the music of his dad with a spectacular collection of twenty songs on a two-disc set.  Each song was hand-picked by Bernard and then remastered by Pauler Acoustics.  Luther’s Blues joins in the festivities which celebrate Ruf Records’ Thirtieth anniversary.  Ruf Records, launched in 1994 by Luther’s then European manager Thomas Ruf, recorded several albums with Luther.  With Bernard at Ruf Records as well, this album exhibits the deep connection and bond which runs strong between the two families.

Guitar ablaze from the get-go, “Hang On” blasts out the gates on the first track with Jimi-Hendrix inspired deliciousness topped with Allison’s demanding vocals.  I absolutely adore the funky, horn-infused “Too Many Women”.  The inescapable groove pulls me right in to its masterful jam.  I love how “Midnight Creeper” sneaks right in the door with its slow-swaying soul.  Allison pours out some gut-wrenching early Chicago blues on “Back Down South”.  The piano accompaniment snugs right up with Bernard’s smokin’ guitar playing.  I feel every note played and every word sung as Allison gets down with the slow-burner “You’re Gonna Need Me”.  Allison brings the album to closure with the beautiful “Castle”.  I adore the soft Cat Stevens vibe.  The song is gorgeous.

Luther’s Blues is an excellent album and a wonderful tribute.  

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For more information about the artist, visit this website : https://bernardallison.com

 

Read additional PhillyCheeze reviews for Bernard Allison : https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=bernard+allison

 

 

#649 : Emma Wilson - Memphis Calling (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2023 – Emma Wilson Music

By Phillip Smith; Dec. 9, 2023

Release Date : Oct. 27, 2023

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Memphis Calling, the new album from British blues singer Emma Wilson, puts a smile on my face with every listen.  Wilson, who was awarded Emerging Blues Artist of the Year at the UK Blues Awards in 2022 for her debut album Wish Her Well, captures the pure essence of the Memphis sound.  Recorded at Sam Phillips Recording Studio, using the original STAX recording console, and a bullpen of Memphis musicians, this record is nothing less than extraordinary with Wilson’s soulful, buttery vocals pouring freely over every note.  Backing Wilson on this release is Charlie Hodges ( Hi Rhythm Section) on Hammond organ, Archie “Hubbie” Turner (Hi Rhythm Section)  on electric piano, Wurlitzer, and acoustic piano, Joe Restivo (The Bo Keys) on guitar, Leroy Hodges (Hi Rhythm Section) on bass guitar, Steve Potts (Booker T & the MGs, Gregg Allman Band) on drums, Kirk Smothers (The Bo Keys, Cyndi Lauper) on tenor and baritone sax, Marc Franklin (The Bo Keys, Cyndi Lauper) on trumpet, and Scott Bomar on tambourine.

Wilson jump-starts the record with the energy of Aretha Franklin in a fantastic original called “Small World”.  Guided by a funky rhythm, and topped with the sweet sound of horns, the track is deliciously soulful.  Her cover of the Steve Cropper and Eddie Floyd-penned “Water” recorded by Albert King taps right into my heart and soul.  Don Bryant appears as guest vocalist on “What Kind of Love”.  The inescapable groove pulls me right in.  “Drug” another Wilson-penned original has an Amy Winehouse vibe, and I dig it a lot.  With a slight twist, the Muddy Waters 1954 hit “Hoochi Coochie Man” becomes the alluring “Hoochie Coochie Mama”.  Restivo’s guitar performance is on point, and sounds wonderful sidled up with Wilson’s sultry vocals.  All the stops are pulled when she closes the record with a stellar performance of Buddy Johnson’s “Since I Fell For You”.  It’s an absolutely beautiful song.   

Emma Wilson’s Memphis Calling is a spectacular recording.  It is going to land as one of my top favorites of the year. 

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For more information about the artist, visit this website : https://www.emmawilson.net/

#648 : Sue Foley - Live in Austin Vol. 1 (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2023 – Guitar Woman Records

By Phillip Smith; Dec. 3, 2023

Release Date : Oct.27, 2023

 

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Sue Foley’s latest release Live in Austin Vol. 1 sunk its teeth into my heart quite quickly.  The 2020 Blues Music Award recipient of the Koko Taylor Award category plays through a mix of originals and covers on her new album, produced by Mike Flanigin.  The record nicely captures the artist her home-turf with a sold-out show at Austin, Texas’ Continental Club.  With Foley on guitar and vocals, her band consists of bassist Jon Penner, drummer Corey Keller, guitarist Derek O’Brian, Angela Miller on background vocals and tambourine, and Lauren Cervantes on background vocals.

The hounds are released as Foley tears through the title track of her 2006 album “New Used Car”.  She absolutely cooks, and her performance puts me right in the zone.  The opening licks of Howlin’ Wolf’s “Howling For My Darlin’” make my ears perk up even more.  Foley’s dreamy vocals add a whole new dimension to this song as she serves up a searing-hot platter of blues guitar.  The instrumental “Hooked on Love (AKA Lucky Lou)” from her 1992 Young Girl Blues album is exquisitely performed and played with finesse.  I dig Keller’s rumba beat and how it compliments Foleys guitar mastery.  I love her stunning cover of Bob Dylan’s “Positively 4^th Street”.  She keeps it fresh and does not stray far from Dylan’s vocal cadence.  Foley blows the dust off of Memphis Minnie’s 1941 classic “Me and my Chauffeur Blues” for a shindig of a blues jamboree.  For the closer, it was an unexpected treat to hear her break out a very deep cut from Cheap Trick “High Roller”.  Foley truly rocked the house on this one.

Sue Foley’s Live in Austin – Vol 1 gets a high recommendation from me.  The album kept me glued to her music from start to finish.  I just hope there is not much of a wait-time for Vol. 2 to be released.  

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Check out other PhillyCheeze reviews for Sue Foley -  https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=sue+foley

 

For more information about the artist, visit this website : https://suefoley.com/

 

#647 : 11 Guys Quartet - 11 x 11 (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

11 Guys Quartet

11 x 11

2023 – Vizztone Label Group

By Phillip Smith; Nov. 25, 2023

 

Release Date : Nov. 17, 2023

 

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

Forming in Boston around forty years ago as 11^th Hour Blues Band, guitarist Paul Lenart, bassist Bill “Coach” Mather, drummer Chuck Purro, and harmonicist Richard “Rosy” Rosenblatt played the local club and bar scene there before cutting their first album Hot Time in the City in 1985.  Now known as 11 Guys Quartet, their latest album 11 x 11 has grabbed my attention in a huge way.  This follow-up album to their critically acclaimed 2020 release Small Blues and Grooves, packs eleven original tracks into one disc for a fantastic blues listening experience. 

The record kicks in with a truck load of Lenart’s swampified guitar topped with an explosion of Rosenblatt’s blues-soaked harmonica, making “Lightning Road” a riveting instrumental opener.  The powerful juju of “Black Cat Bone” is generously received as it follows up next.  This bodacious track is indeed a favorite.  In a sort of ‘House of the Rising Sun’ fashion, 11 Guys Quartet masterfully construct an amazing anthem called “Blues Beyond Midnight”.  Lenart and Rosy dig deep as their licks are wonderfully traded back and forth.  Slathered with slide, “Possum Blues” steals my heart with its carefree and country-fried sound.

Each track on this album is an instrumental except for two songs: “Drivin’ a Fast Car” featuring Purro on vocals and “He Ain’t Got You” featuring Lenart on vocals.  “Drivin’ a Fast Car” hits the scene with the velocity of a moonshine runner barreling down the road at breakneck speed.  The band plays this tight and with an amazing finesse.  “He Ain’t Got You” is a searing new twist on the classic Jimmy Reed song "I Ain't Got You".  The intoxicating groove pulls me right in.

I enjoy every note played as 11 Guys Quartet showcase their abundant talent and collective experience.  11 x 11 surely sits among my favorite albums of the year.           

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For more information about the artist, visit this website : https://www.11guysquartet.com/

#640: Bob Margolin - Thanks (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2023 – Vizztone

By Phillip Smith; Oct. 21, 2023

Release Date : Oct. 27, 2023

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

Armed with the very same ’56 Gibson ES-150 he used while playing with Muddy Waters and with The Band in The Last Waltz concert and film, Bob Margolin commemorates fifty years since joining The Muddy Waters Band with his latest release Thanks.  This fabulous album captures the pure essence of The Blues, as Margolin creates every sound heard on all ten songs of this recording, with one very special exception.  The vocals of his very special guest and border collie Levon join along during a guitar solo on “No Consolation”.

The record begins with a smoking version of “Going Down to Main Street”..  Dedicated to Muddy Waters and Levon Helm, the song was originally released in 1952 with Muddy’s original band, and was recorded again in 1975 for Muddy Waters’ Woodstock Album featuring Margolin, Helm, and Paul Butterfield.  I love his cover of The Band’s “The Shape I’m In”.  Played as a blues shuffle, the song stands out as an absolute favorite.  As the first few notes of “Mean Old Chicago” are played, I ’m enamored to say the least.  Margolin wrote this song on a drink napkin while in flight to Chicago to pay final respects to friend and Chicago blues legend Jimmy Rogers.  Originally on Margolin’s 1993 album Down in the Alley “Baby Can’t Be Found” is an amazing song and is no wonder why it was a favorite of Johnny Winter’s.  It sounds wonderful with Margolin performing on that Gibson archtop electric guitar.  Originally recorded in 1999 for Blind Pig Records using a National Steel guitar which was a gift from Pinetop Perkins, “No Consolation” is one of my favorite Margolin-penned tracks.  It is blues to the core and its jagged edges dig deep into the soul. 

Selecting ten songs to sum up fifty years could not have been an easy task, however Margolin takes his choices very seriously.  It is refreshing to hear these songs stripped down to just a man and his guitar.  The background stories behind each of the tracks on Margolin’s website is refreshing and insightful.  They offer a glimpse inside the man who has truly lived the blues.

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For more information about the artist, visit this website : https://bobmargolin.com/

 

 

#635: EG Kight - Sticks & Strings (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

EG Kight

Sticks & Strings

2023 – Blue South

By Phillip Smith; Sep. 16, 2023

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Sticks & Strings, the latest release from EG Kight captivated me upon the first listen.  Kight’s beautifully-crafted songs are decorated with southern charm and immerse me with in wave of mesmerizing grace.  Backed with her “boys” lead guitarist Ken Wynn and drummer/percussionist Gary Porter, the ensemble also features guest bassist Sean Williams on five tracks.

For starters, Kight introduces a melodic bowlful of slow-simmered blues on “Talk to Me”.  Her vocals are lovely as ever as Porter pulls double-duty on drums and harp.  I absolutely adore her beautifully-performed cover of Gregg Allman’s “Come and Go Blues”.  With each listen of “God, Goats and Guitars”, I want to return for second helpings.  “Changes Coming Down” is a solid favorite as Kight chronicles the human condition in the ways of Earth’s seasonal cycles.  With dobro in hand, Porter plays this with a subtle finesse on slide.  The song is downright amazing.

Sticks & Stones is a breathtaking listen which one will want to revisit over and over.

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For more information about the artist, visit this website : https://egkight.com

 

 

Available on Bandcamp

 

#624: Soulful Femme - Attitude (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2023 – Skydog Studios

By Phillip Smith; July 22, 2023

 

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Funk, soul, and blues form a magical convergence with the sounds of Soulful Femme.  Comprised of lead vocalist Stevee Wellons and guitarist Cheryl Rinovato, Soulful Femme was formed shortly after the two women met at a blues society event in 2014.  Attitude, the follow up album to their 2021 release It Is Well With My Soul, is produced by Albert Castiglia and features him on guitar for three tracks.  The backing musicians include drummer Michael Bram, bassist Matt Reynol, Dave Gross on Hammond organ and tambourine, Doug Woolverton on trumpet, and Mark Earley on tenor saxophone.  Special guests on this record include Tommy Castro and Kevin Burt.

The funky, infectious rhythm of title-track “Attitude” leads the way with Castiglia joining in on guitar.  The bassline is thick as Wellons’ vocals ring out with a striking fearlessness.  I absolutely love their cover with Kevin Burt which breathes new life into the 1968 Willie Dixon/Koko Taylor duet “Insane Asylum”.  Burt and Wellons sing this heartbreaker with pure emotion as they stick the landing for a stellar performance.  Reminiscent of the lovely sounds of Sade, “Breathe Again” rolls in on a crisp wave of fresh air.  Rinovato digs in deep with a George Benson-like approach on guitar and it sounds fabulous.  Tommy Castro joins in the fun on the bodacious cover of James Brown’s “Talkin’ Loud and Sayin’ Nothing”.  This funkdafied track is one I really enjoy.

The musical chemistry between Wellons and Rinovato extends beyond their performance and into their song-writing.  Soulful Femme’s “Attitude” is an album soul-blues fans will surely want to hear.  They are definitely an act to keep one’s eyes and ears on.

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For more information about Soulful Femme visit the website :  https://www.soulfulfemme.com

 

#619 : Johnny Wheels and The Swamp Donkeys - Keep on Pushin' (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2022 – Lightning in a Bottle Records

By Phillip Smith; June 17, 2023

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

A magical energy abundantly flows from the latest album Keep on Pushin’ by Johnny Wheels and the Swamp Donkeys a Finalist Band in the 2020 International Blues Challenge.   The music this tight-knit ensemble cooks up is a special blend of Blues, R & B, Rock, Soul, and Funk.  With Johnny “Wheels” Kennicott taking on the frontman position on vocals and harmonica, the rest of this extraordinary band is comprised of guitarist Brandon Logan, drummer Doug Knoyle, guitarist Michael Rabe, bassist Taylor Frazier..  

I love the opening track “On the Run” with its funky little rhythm and punchy horns.  Wheels sings it smooth but keeps a slight rasp in his back pocket for when it’s needed on this briefcase full of Memphis-stye soul.  Logan adds heat to the song on guitar.  This track certainly sets the free-flowing vibe for the rest of the album.  “George Fisk” keeps the flow open wide, with a big jam-friendly convergence of dance-inducing sound.  It is wonderful.  I dig the Funkadelic “Maggot Brain”-influenced intro on “This Time”.  This blues-soaked rocker about starting over slowly turns the heat up until you can feel the sweat.  Wheels conjures up a stellar performance on a wave of sixties-style funk on “Light Me Up (Hold Me In)”.  Topped with a swinging organ and horn accompaniment, this feel-good track brings joy to me.  Lucious blasts of brass, smoldering harp, a riveting beat, and a searing guitar performance come together for the brilliant execution of “Finding your Way Back Home”.  It’s an amazing listen.  The First Lady of Portland Blues LaRhonda Steele joins the band on vocals for a soulful, blues-soaked closer “Time to Bail (Keep on Pushin’).  This heart-felt tune about moving forward is an open letter of encouragement.    

Johnny Wheels and the Swamp Donkeys land in the same category as two of my favorite artists, Ghost Town Blues Band, and John Nemeth.  Currently in heavy-rotation for my listening pleasure, Keep on Pushin’ is a splendid record from beginning to end.                     

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TRACK LISTINGS

 

1. On the Run

2. George Fisk

3. This Time

4. As Long as You’re Here

5. Light Me Up (Hold Me In)

6.The Fall

7. Finding Your Way Back Home

8. Mizz Karman

9. Time to Bail (Keep on Pushin’)

 

For more information about Johnny Wheels and The Swamp Donkeys visit their website at :  https://johnnywheelsband.com/