Showing posts sorted by date for query carolyn wonderland. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query carolyn wonderland. Sort by relevance Show all posts

Saturday, May 24, 2025

#747- > Carolyn Wonderland - Truth Is (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 


2025 – Alligator Records
Release Date : May, 16, 2025
 
By Phillip Smith; May, 24, 2025

 

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Carolyn Wonderland never ceases to amaze me with her fiery guitar-slinging skills and charming Southern voice.  Slathered in Texas blues and the authenticity one would find in a backroad juke-joint or honky-tonk, her latest album Truth Is is nothing short of a masterpiece.  Wonderland is backed on this album by Naj Conklin on electric and upright bass and Giovanni “Nooch” Carnuccio on drums and percussion. She is also joined by Shelly King on vocals and acoustic guitar, Dave Alvin on electric guitar, Red Young on B3 organ/piano, Bukka Allen on piano/organ, Kevin Lance on percussion, Ruthie Foster on vocals, Marcia Ball on vocals/piano, Cindy Cashdollar on lap steel guitar, Henri Herbert on piano, and Stuart Sullivan on percussion.

 Wonderland rolls out the red carpet with a riveting taste of swampy slide guitar as she sings of the hard facts of life on “Sooner or Later”.  I’m quickly drawn to the swinging title-track “Truth Is”. With a hard-driving beat from Nooch, Carolyn’s fearless vocals add a lovely touch. I love the blues-soaked “Whistlin’ Past the Graveyard” featuring Cashdollar on lap steel and find myself singing along to this one with every listen. I just wish I had the whistling skills to righteously continue on. The cover of “Orange Juice Blues (Blues for Breakfast)”, originally on the Basement Tapes album from The Band, consists of an intoxicating jamboree featuring King, Alvin, Young, Ball, and Cashdollar with Wonderland, King, and Ball all on vocals. I enjoy the hell out of this one. Enveloped in a Caribbean-inspired melody and Jimmy Buffett-esque vibe, “Deepest Ocean Blue” hits me in very contrasting ways as I decipher its deeper meaning. The album comes to an end with “Blues for Gene”, a touching and beautifully-performed tribute to renowned pianist/keyboardist Gene Taylor (The Blasters, T-Bone Walker, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Canned Heat) who sadly lost his life to hypothermia February 20, 2021 during the Texas Power Crisis. Written by Wonderland and Alvin (who was a lifelong friend to Taylor), the song features Alvin on guitar and includes an extraordinary performance by Herbert on piano.

 Carolyn Wonderland’s Truth Is is an absolutely brilliant album. It’s one I can really sink my teeth into.

 

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Photo by Mary Bruton

Photo by Mary Bruton


Available on Bandcamp


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For more information about Carolyn Wonderland, visit website https://carolynwonderland.com/

 

For other PhillyCheeze reviews of Carolyn Wonderland, visit this link https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=carolyn+wonderland

 

 

 

 

Monday, February 12, 2024

#661 : Winter Blues Fest 2024 (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 


Winter Blues Fest 2024

Downtown Marriott

Des Moines, Iowa

February 10, 2024

By Phillip Smith; Feb. 12, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

I finally made it to Des Moines for the Central Iowa Blues Society’s Winter Blues Fest, and it was a blast.  Although the festival runs for two days, I was only able to make it over to the Capital City for the Saturday shows which included Matt Woods, Studebaker John, Heath Alan’s Iowa Blues Expo, Rush Cleveland Trio, Gabe Stillman Band, Jimmi & the Band of Souls, Tony Holiday, Indigenous, Max Kaplan & the Magic, McKinley James, Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal, Tom Holland & the Shuffle Kings, Cashbox Kings, & Toronzo Cannon.   The Friday shows, which I unfortunately missed, consisted of Ben Levin Duo, Josh Hoyer, The Cold Stares, JD Simo, Mike Morgan & the Crawl, and Carolyn Wonderland.  With five stages for music, choices had to be made.  I did not get the opportunity to see everyone, but I did see some fantastic acts.  Although the snow and ice were kept at bay this year, there was certainly a “Blizzard of Blues” going on at Winter Blues Fest. 

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·         * All photos by Phillip Smith 


Matt Woods





Jimmi & the Band of Souls

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Heath Alan's Iowa Blues Expo





Tony Holiday















Rush Cleveland Trio










Studebaker John




Indigenous








Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal








Toronzo Cannon









·         * All photos by Phillip Smith 



For more information about Central Iowa Blues Society and Winter Blues Fest, visit their website at https://cibs.org/