Jay Jesse Johnson - Set the Blues on Fire

2015 – Grooveyard Records

By Phillip Smith; Dec 19, 2015

Set the Blues on Fire, Jay Jesse Johnson’s latest album does indeed set the Blues on fire.  This album is fully-loaded with a dozen outstanding original blues songs delivered by one of the most bodacious guitar players around.  Johnson surrounds himself with great talent as well.  Joining him is bassist Reed Bogart, drummer Jeff “Smokey” Donaldson, and keyboardist Lee Evans, making one tight as hell band.     

Johnson jump-starts the ride with full force, delivering a magnificent no-holds-barred performance on “Hell or High Water”.  I get charged when the title track “Set the Blues on Fire” kicks in.  This one is red hot and flawless. “Ace in the Hole” is an intriguing boat load of fun.  Donaldson’s killer beats and Bogart’s deliciously funky bassline set a perfect environment for Johnson to let loose and jam.  Another head-turning favorite, “Don’t Mess with My Baby” is a badass song doused in Texas blues and infused with funk.  I love the rollicking and gritty “Wheelhouse Boogie”.  It’s “roadhouse blues” at its best.

Jay Jesse Johnson has surely got it going on.  Set the Blues on Fire is the real deal and I highly recommend.  

Tony Spinner - Earth Music For Aliens

By Phillip Smith

Dec. 7, 2013

About a week before first listening to Tony Spinner’s ninth solo release, Earth Music for Aliens, I had read about the recordings of 100 songs from around the world, placed on Voyager back in 1977.  It was to be heard and enjoyed by whomever or whatever the Voyager makes its way to.  Rock and Blues were sparsely represented. 
At least they included Chuck Berry’s “Johnny Be Good”, and Blind Willie Johnson’s “Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground”.  Both nice tracks, but my selfish thoughts were that they should have added more Rock and Blues music, something more akin to songs found on this new disc from Spinner.  Judging from the title and cover art from the new disc, I think Spinner may have had the same idea.

Returning to the studio with bassist Michel Mulder and drummer Alex Steier, Spinner takes the listener on a journey down several paths.  I like the way “Best Friend” and “Got What I Wanted” can pump the listener up with its energetically charged, funk infused blues and hot guitar licks and then later, chill us out to a relaxing listen to “Free Now”, about letting go and forgiveness.  Spinner’s vocals are very nice and calming on this track.   

There seems to be a bit of Frank Zappa influence on “Let Her Go” because when I hear the intro and the hook, I am instantly reminded of the late great musical genius.  This one gets weirdly fun and playful. 

Spinner serves up some funky treats with “Hot Mess” and “Low Down Dirty Shame”.  A funky rhythm along with Spinner’s teasing guitar licks makes “Hot Mess” a favorite, while “Low Down Dirty Shame” is like a bluesy Funkadelic song with its cool vocal harmonizing, rhythmic groove, and Eddie Hazel-like guitar playing.  

   

A couple of rockabilly treats are worth noting as well. It’s a Living” revisits the sounds of the Fifties rock and roll, and peppers it with a heaping dash of roadhouse blues. And if that’s not enough, check out “Missy Talk”, a guitar centric answer to Jerry Lee Lewis’s “Honey Don’t”.  This one has ‘Sun Records’ written all over it.

“Earth Music for Aliens” is so easy to listen to, I recommend it to all Earthlings, and those not of this world as well.  

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. 

Craig Erickson - Rare Tracks (Volume Two)

By Phillip Smith

Craig Erickson never ceases to amaze me.  Rare Tracks (Volume Two), the second installment of previously unreleased nuggets from his secret stash, unleashes fourteen new pieces of ear-candy to be happily enjoyed. With the exception of one track, all are originals.  As well as writing, Erickson takes on the responsibility of playing all the instruments, and belting out all the vocals as well.  Erickson gives us a full one hundred percent.  

Leading off with a short spacey track just over a minute long in length, ‘Deep Blue Circles’ seems to be more of an intro for the song following it, ‘Heavy Stuff’, about the necessity of having to escape everyday life once in a while.  This track has a nice little funky rhythm slathered with a thick coating of heavy fuzzy bass.

Few people can cover Jimi Hendrix, make it their own, and make it sound good to boot.  Erickson is one of those few.   Not quite a cover, but rather an adaptation, ‘Purple Haze (The Trip)’ is the only track not completely written by Erickson.  I love the subtle keyboard accompaniment on this, and how it sets a soft jazzy stage from which to launch an amazing crescendo of six-string energy.

The instrumental, ‘Make it Through’ is amazing and beautiful. I love how at ease and full of peace I am when listening to it.  Erickson’s expressiveness shines through brightly.  Erickson gets funky on ‘Midnight Flight (Reprise)’, a very short track clocking in at just over a minute and a half.  The only thing wrong with this track is that it is way too short.

I’ve listened to this album several times over and deem every track a keeper.  Rare Tracks (Volume Two) is a delight indeed