For the first time, Prairie
Dog Blues Festival had live music on the Thursday evening preceding the
festival to get things going.For this inaugural
addition to the festival, the chosen band to kick it all off was Memphis
Tennessee’s Ghost Town Blues Band.Playing two ninety-minute sets with a minor break in between, they
performed all of their fan-favorites, as well as a lot of deep cuts.The show was colossal to say the least.
I love it when music like
this new self-titled album from Color Green comes my way.Their music is cut from the same fabric as
many of my favorite bands, such as Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers,
Phish, and Flaming Lips. Formed
in Queens, but now based in Los Angeles, Color Green is comprised of co-founders
Noah Kohll and Corey Madden.Together this duo creates a dreamy eight-track cocktail of roots-based
rock.
“Warbling Sky” tranquilly
floats through the gate first. riding atop a layer of pedal steel from Tim
Ramsey and a Dead-inspired bridge which explodes with energy.It’s magnificent. Upbeat and slightly twangy,
“Ill Fitting Suit” is another fun one.With a hook that says “you pay your dues, I’ll pay mine”, this song
would easily compel a field of hippies to dance.With Madelyn Strutz on banjo, “Bell of
Silence” is one that soothes the soul with its beautiful, lush melody and
hypnotizing harmonies.Another bonified
favorite track “Blizzed Out” swings to a Seventies southern rock groove.This honey-hole of a track is bodaciously
slathered in slide guitar and peppered with unexpected cosmic attacks.It’s absolutely brilliant.
I highly recommend this
album.Color Green is a terrific listen
from start to finish.
Montreal-based blues-rocker Cliff
Stevens has recently released his fifth studio album Better Days.Loaded with eleven brand-new originals, this record
is a genuine dose of heart-tugging blues, reminiscent of the album-oriented music
popular in the Seventies.The music
ranges from old-school delta blues to that inspired by the likes of Eric Clapton
and Stevie Ray Vaughan.It surely
makes for a hearty listen.With Stevens
on guitar and vocals, Sam Harrison appears on drums, Serge Dionne
on bass, Eric Suave on organ/piano, Pat Loiselle on harmonica,
and Kim Feeney on vocals.
Stevens rips the wrapping paper off this package in a
spectacular way with Texas smoked blues guitar and a sizzling rack of rhythm as
title-track “Better Days” lunges forward.It’s plumb terrific. Between Stevens’ vocals and Suave’s
funktified piano, there’s a huge Dr. John vibe going on in “No Room Left”
as Stevens continues to tear it up on guitar.Amid a driving beat, lush organ, and barrelhouse
piano, more hot licks ensue on “Time For Me to Go”. Then, it’s low and slow for some deep blues on
“I’ve Been Thinking About You”.Steven’s
string-bending performance is sweet and crisp.It sounds so damn good.When he
pairs slide guitar with precision picking, the best of two worlds collide, bringing
the album to its end with a delectable instrumental called ‘Slim Picking”.
Between the fabulous songwriting
and the flawless execution of the songs, Better Days from Cliff Stevens
stands out as a one of my favorites of the Summer.
I’ve been hooked on Starlite
Campbell Band since reviewing their first album, Blueberry Pie five
years ago.That was such an amazing
album.For their third release, wife and
husband Suzy Starlite, and Simon Campbell took their songs on the
road across the UK and wove together this delightful eight-track album of live
performances with drummer Steve Gibson (Buzzcocks, Jack Bruce) and three
organists Jonny Henderson (Matt Schofield, Kirk Fletcher), Christian
Madden (the Liam Gallagher Band), and Josh Phillips (Procol Harum).
With a strong opener called “Brother”
off Campbell’s 2011 solo album Thirtysix, the music kicks off with
a funky beat backed by swirling keys and a driving rhythm.Their hot guitar licks and buttery bass sound
fabulous. From that same solo album,
they break out two more smokin’ blues-rockers: “Preacher of Love” and “Misgivings”.
They both sound magnificent.
“Said So” from their 2021 Language
of Curiosity album, ushers the listener through time and space with
brush-strokes of The Kinks, Allman Brothers, and The Who,
culminating into a mind-blowing psychedelic treat.With Josh Phillips behind the keys, they
close the record with a beautiful cover of Procol Harum’s “Whiter Shade
of Pale”.Campbell’s vocals are
flawless.
Infectious hooks, meaty jams,
and innovative song-writing stand front and center, making Starlite Campbell
Band’sLive album an exhilarating listen.It keeps my full attention from beginning to end.
It was a beautiful day for a music festival in North Liberty, Iowa. Sunshine was abundant, accompanied by blues skies and white clouds. Centennial Park was filled with festival-goers seeking blues, barbeque, and fellowship. The barbecue was delicious, and although I did not stay for the entire event, the music I heard from Avey Grouws Band, Nathan Graham, Sam Ross Quartet, The Tanya English Band, and Lilly Hiatt, was downright terrific!
Who is He?, the debut album from 21 year old St. Louis vocalist Dylan
Triplett, is a phenomenal recording.With a voice that has a range of four and a half octaves, Triplett
began his professional singing career at the age of fifteen singing with his
father, jazz saxophonist Art Pollard.Produced by Larry Fulcher who is also on bass guitar, this ten-track
album features Triplett on lead vocals with Dr. Wayne Goins (head
of Jazz Studies at Kansas State University) on guitar, Montez Coleman on
drums, Ryan Marquez and Mike Finnegan on keys, and Joe Sublett
and Kyle Turner on saxophones.Also
appearing on the album are special guests Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Johnny
Lee Schell, Sean McDonald, and Tru Born on guitars.
“Barnyard Blues” cracks the lid
of this album open with Kingfish manhandling the guitar solos and Finnegan
tearing it up on organ. Triplett tackles this original like a seasoned
pro with a fearless approach.He then
fabulously takes on Bill Wither’s “Who is He (And What is He to You?).His voice, soulful and buttery, sounds so
damn good.“Junkyard Dog” cowritten by Triplett
and Fulcher is a horn-infused delight about love for better or worse.Schell and Tru Born rip it up
on guitars as Coleman lays down a serious groovy beat.I love the heart-felt slow blues of “I’ll Be
Waiting”.Written by Triplett,
this heart-wrencher features Schell on the guitar solos.Triplett confidently takes on Marvin
Gaye’s “That’s What Love Is” for a stellar performance with an old school Motown
vibe.Then he follows up with a smoking take on Lonnie
Brooks’ “Feels Good Doin’ Bad” with Kingfish back on guitar.It’s a surefire favorite. The album comes to
a close with an exquisite jazz selection covering of Miles Davis’ “All
Blues” complete with horns.Triplett’s
delivery is suave and guided with precision as he slides in to George Benson
mode.
Who is He? won me over on the first listen, and continues to garner
more of my attention with each and every listen. I can’t wait to hear what Triplett has
in store for this next album.
Since Matty T Wall’s debut
release in 2016 of Blue Skies, I’ve reviewed each of his albums.I’m sure not going to break tradition with
his latest, Live Down Underground.Wall very much deserves the kudos.He is a force to be reckoned with and his prowess
behind the guitar never ceases to amaze me.Recorded at Lyric Underground in Perth, Western Australia, this nine-track
release features Wall backed by drummer Ric Whittle and bassist Leigh
Miller.
Wall gives a smoking performance as he leads off with the story-telling
outlaw blues of “Broken Heart Tattoo”. This is followed up by the intense red-hot
instrumental “Slideride”. I enjoy the fierce
licks and rolling thunder from the moment the song blasts off. “Scorcher”, another searing instrumental is
also quick to capture my attention. Wall
is an astonishing beast on the guitar. I
love the fact that he brought “Sophia’s Strut” out to play. This mind-melting track from his 2018 Sidewinder
record is still lightning in a bottle, just as I described it four years ago. The psychedelic piece de resistance that begs
to be heard is the nearly fifteen minute long “Voodoo Chile”. Wall conjures
up an extraordinary listening experience, masterminding a cosmically intense
journey that stretches across the universe to shake hands with Hendrix
himself.
Matty T Wall’s previous two albums have landed in my yearly Top 20
lists, and I have no doubt this one will be in my list for 2022. Live Down Underground is a bodacious
live album of guitar-centric blues-rock one can sink their teeth into. It’s a highly recommended listen.
American Roots Project is the latest release from Jack’s Waterfall, a
band which originated as The Water Street Blues Band, co-founded by pianist/vocalist
Jack Licitra and harpist Steve Demanchick in the 1990’s.The ten tracks of music are all-original songs
written by Licitra and heavily steeped in New Orleans tradition.The album quickly garnered my affection on
the first listen.Along with Licitra
and Demanchick, Jack’s Waterfall is comprised of Mark
Carpentieri (founder of M.C. Records) on drums, Trifon Dmitrov
on bass, and Rod Borrie on trombone.
With the trickle of piano keys,
and a second-line beat, the opener “Louise” rolls out in a carefree stroll,
bringing a big smile to my face.Licitra’s polished vocals pull me right in.I love the vibrant NOLA barrelhouse mood and lyrical flow that gushes out
in “My Baby’s Gone a Long Time”. Lucitra
is a true master of song-writing.“Soul
Rider” is another that steals my heart. The soulful vocals are perfectly paired with a
brilliant piano performance. The funky
jam of “Community” reminds me of good times at Phish concerts.The song has been lodged in my brain for a
few days now.American Roots Project
wraps up in a glorious way with “Like an Eagle”.With the DNA of a strong Southern spiritual,
this celebratory song is most definitely a feel-good one.
This album is terrific from start to finish, and
leaves me wanting to hear more from Jack’s Waterfall.
---
For more information about Jack’s Waterfall visit this
website : https://www.jackswaterfall.com
It’s a rare occasion where a live
album is my first experience with a band’s music, and it turns me into an
instant fan.Live at the King Eddy,
the latest release from The Harpoonist and the Axe Murder is definitely the
center point of one of those occasions.The
Harpoonist is vocalist/harp player Shawn Hall.The Axe Murderer is guitarist Matt Rogers.
The two together with vocalists Andrina
Turenne and Dawn Pemberton, along with keyboardist Geoff Hilhorst
throw down one hell of a shindig at the historical King Edward Hotel in
Calgary.That recorded performance
celebrates fifteen years of collaboration of playing the Blues, and it’s
absolutely wonderful.
“Cry a Little” trucks right
on in, and gets things off to a swinging start with a funky harp-laden groove
and whiskey-soaked vocals. I can’t help
but gush about the swamp-water soaked “Do Whatcha”.Between the whirling sounds of Hillhorst’s
organ and Hall’s guttural yelps, the song takes glamourous dips into the
psychedelic realm.From their most
recent studio album Apocalipstick, “Pretty Please” is a fiery, rambunctious
track which transforms the revival tent into a hot and sweaty blues tent,
bringing everyone to their feet.“Father’s
Son”, another selection off the same studio album, is simply amazing.I love how the driving beat and funky riff takes
a cliff dive into another universe.It’s
certainly no “Cats in the Cradle”.That’s
for sure. Rogers cranks up the heat
on guitar for a cooking performance as Hall goes all-in on “Get Out”
taking the blues to the brink of places I’ve never heard. This track does indeed tear the roof off the
sucker.
Live at the King Eddy is an absolute eye-opener for me. The musical chemistry shared between these
guys sure makes for some exquisite blues. I hope I have the opportunity to catch them live
in concert one of these days, because I’m sure it would be a hell of a good
time.
---
For
more information about this band, visit their website https://www.harpoonistaxemurderer.com/
Next Stop, the latest release from Canadian blues-rocker Gary
Cain, takes off like a rocket, and soars to the heavens. His guitar prowess is extraordinary and an absolute
treat to hear.Cain, a 2018
semi-finalist at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee,
has talents which run much deeper though.This ten-track album reveals just how much.Written and recorded in Austin, Texas, Next
Stop is all Cain.He wrote the
music and lyrics, plays all the guitar and bass parts, sings, programs drums, and
handles percussion.
Rocking an infectious Texas
boogie, “Billionaires in Space” blasts the album off by taking a satirical jab
at Elon Musk’s and Jeff Bezos’ ego-centric race to boldly go
where no man has gone before.Cain
seemingly draws inspiration from Jimi Hendrix on “Confusion”.His powerhouse performance is so hot, it downright
cooks.Cain furiously throws
everything he has into “Kitchen Sink”.This
fabulous instrumental brings to mind a favorite by The Aristocrats
called “Kentucky Meat Shower”.It’s an
exhilarating experience to hear Cain’s intense guitar picking riding the
bleeding edge of his barreling beat.Reaching
the tipping point of being fed up is a gradual process and that’s the way Cain
goes with “Gone” a song with that exact theme.The mellow and melodic atmosphere stretches outward and inward, taking heavy
and funky turns with its cozy groove.Next
Stop wraps up with “A Short, Furious Goodbye” with special guest John
Lee on B3 organ.This cosmic instrumental
clocks in at two minutes, seventeen seconds and beautifully lives up to its
name.
Next Stop is one album guitar aficionados will definitely want
to give a listen to.It’s fantastic.
---
For more information about Gary Cain, visit this website : https://www.garycainband.com
Since reviewing Gina
Sicilia’s 2016 album Sunset Avenue, I’ve made a point to check out
her music as it is released.Her latest record
Unchange is rather spectacular.Produced, recorded, and mixed by Colin Linden at Pinhead
Recorders in Nashville, Tennessee, Unchange features Linden
on guitars and vocals, Johnny Dymond on bass, and Bryan Owings on
drums to back Sicilia’s beautiful voice.
The opening track “Healing
Time” is a wonderous splash of slow, soulful blues with Kevin McKendree
on piano.Sicilia draws me
immediately in with her sensational vocal artistry and she sounds
fabulous.She continues to amaze me as title-track
“Unchange” follows up in a cloak of poignancy and a beautiful performance from Linden
on guitar.I love it when she breaks
into the classic blues traditional “Make Me a Pallet on Your Floor”.Guest backing vocalists Ann and Regina
McCrary add a really nice touch to this extraordinary song.Sicilia and Linden turn on the
heat when they get to the cover of Reverend Gary Davis’ “Death Don’t
Have No Mercy”.Its twangy goodness is seared
to perfection.Sicilia takes
crooning to the next level on “Don’t be Afraid to be Wrong”.With Bohemian nuances sewn into its fabric, this
delightful song is indeed a favorite.
The divine voice of Gina
Sicilia hits all the right notes for a classic taste of pure Americana.Unchange is an absolutely stunning album.
---
For more information about Gina Sicilia, visit this website : https://www.ginasicilia.com