#643 : Avey Grouws Band w/ The Wilted at Wildwood Saloon - Nov 3, 2023 (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

Avey Grouws Band w/ The Wilted

Live at Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon – Nov.3, 2023

Iowa City, Iowa

 

By Phillip Smith; November 5, 2023

 

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

After nearly a year and a half, I was finally able to catch Avey Grouws Band again this weekend.  When I saw they were going to be playing at the Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon in Iowa City, I knew I had to go.  They are absolutely one of my favorite live acts to see.  The show was the perfect mix of favorites, rarities, new songs, and covers.   

Opening for Avey Grouws Band was Iowa City-based band The Wilted.  They played a most impressive set.  When this band releases their first album, I’ll certainly be buying a copy.  

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* photos by Phillip Smith

 The Wilted

 

 

 Avey Grouws Band

                          * Photos by Phillip Smith

#642: The Dig 3 - Damn the Rent (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2023 – The Dig 3

By Phillip Smith; Nov. 4, 2023

 

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

A wave of nostalgia washes over me with every listen to Damn the Rent, the latest album from Illinois bluesmen The Dig 3.  Their all-original songs range from traditional blues, to the funky R&B sounds of the Seventies and Eighties.  Consisting of Andrew Duncanson on vocals and guitar, Ronnie Shellist on harmonica, and Gerry Hundt on Farmer foot drums, percussion, bass VI, guitar, harmonica, mandolin, and organ, the trio makes quite a positive impression.       

An intoxicating Bo Diddley-inspired rhythm welcomes the listener in for a musical road trip through The Prairie State on “Take a Ride”.  Shellist’s harmonica performance on this is fabulous.  I love the warm tones on “Big Water” and how Duncanson’s smooth vocals pair with Shellist’s masterfully injected harp.  The ingredients all cook up into a big bowlful of vintage Chicago Blues.  The funk rises to the top on the instrumental “Blanco Boogaloo” with a rhythm that is sweetly unescapable.  The Dig 3 throw in a remarkable pre-war blues style curve ball with “Old Dog”.  My ears immediately perked[P1]  up and a smile grew across my face once I heard the familiar sound of kazoo.  A disco-infused beat guides the groovy rhythm of “Southern Fantasy” directly to the dance floor when vocalist Lauren Dukes, bassist Aaron Whittier, and drummer/percussionist Rick King join The Dig 3 to form Dig 3 Big Version.  I like this one a lot.

The Dig 3’s Damn the Rent won me over on the first track and left me wanting to hear more from the band.  It’s a splendid listen. 

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For more information about the artist, visit this website : https://thedig3band.com

#641: Toulouse Englehardt - Three Novellas for Guitar and Orchestra (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2023 – Five and Dime Universe

By Phillip Smith; Oct. 28, 2023

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

Toulouse Engelhardt, the last of the Tacoma Seven fingerstyle guitarists which also included notable artists John Fahey, Peter Lang, and Leo Kottke, has an amazing new release called Three Novellas for Guitar & Orchestra.  Three years in the making, the album pairs Engelhardt with Los Angeles Recording Choir & Orchestra to take listeners on an instrumental journey into the various realms of interdimensional reality.  The record was produced, directed, and conducted by Christopher M. Allport with Engelhardt as composer, associate producer, and guitarist.   I love the poetic corresponding verse for each novella, written by Lindsey Engelhardt and included in the accompanying booklet.  It solidifies the identity of each piece.

With a gentle awakening, the first Novella, Elegy for Oceanides (a Mermaid Suite) begins to wash up upon the “Shores of Enceladus”.  Accompanied with a beautiful backing of strings, Engelhardt’s finesse and guitar prowess grace the listener.  The angelic vocals of Monique Donelly announce the divine sea-goddess “Oceanides”.  Engelhardt charms me with Novella No. 2 Plains of San Agustin in which the crash-landing of space explorers from a faraway universe leaves one single survivor.  The way he beautifully spins this unspoken tale is dramatic and magical.  Oftentimes, the world’s go-to system for division is a binary one.  Novella No. 3 Triangulum Sonatia is a reminder that the world is not as we would label it.  With this third and final novella, Englehardt ushers us through three pieces to wonderfully showcase mathematics in its harmonious form, the triad : “Adagio tranquillo”, “Andante animato”, and “Moderato con spirito”. 

Three Novellas for Guitar and Orchestra is enlightening.  This one-of-a-kind recording by Toulouse Englehardt is simply put, extraordinary.              

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Track Listing:

 

Elegy for Oceanides - Mvt. I Shores of Enceladus

Elegy for Oceanides - Mvt. II Oceanides

Elegy for Oceanides - Mvt. III Siren's Call

Elegy for Oceanides - Mvt. IV Mermaids' Grotto

Elegy for Oceanides - Mvt. V Oceanides' Tears

Elegy for Oceanides - Mvt. VI Epitaph

Elegy for Oceanides - Mvt. VII Processional Under The Sea

Elegy for Oceanides - Mvt. VIII Farewell Oceanides

Plains of San Agustin

Triangulum Sonatina - Mvt. I Adagio tranquillo

Triangulum Sonatina - Mvt. II Andante animato

Triangulum Sonatina - Mvt. III Moderato con spirito

 

#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/

 

 

#639: Dave Keller - It's Time to Shine (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

2023 – Tastee Tone Records

By Phillip Smith; Oct. 14, 2023

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

With nearly twenty-five years of recording music under his belt, Dave Keller returned to the studios again last fall.  The studio, however, happened to be a friend’s cabin ten miles south of the US/Canadian border nestled in the Adirondacks.  It was there, Keller and his band recorded his tenth album It’s Time to Shine.  This record of all original songs brings joy to me with every listen.  His sophisticated vocals lend an extra layer of finesse to the sleek brand of feel-good soul-blues he masterminds.  With Keller up front on vocals and guitar, he is joined by Ira Friedman on keys, Jay Gleason on drums/percussion, Alex Budney on bass, Mark Earley on sax, Tom Palance on trumpet, and Annika Chambers-DesLauriers on backing vocals.

It’s Time to Shine breaks open with the infectious bassline of “Waiting for the Sunrise”.  A slight Beatles “Come Together” vibe hangs around just out of sight, as cosmic guitar sounds accent Friedman’s steady-rolling keys on this cool-as-hell song.  Keller and company deliver a tight and riveting performance on “The Truth of the Blues”.  The driving rhythm tightly pulls me right in to this wonderful track.  With a suave approach, Keller delivers a soulful, happy love song with “I Wanna Go Back to Memphis”.   Hearing him sing about walking by the river and Beale Street, makes me a little homesick since I grew up about sixty miles from the Bluff City.  Keller digs deep and conjures up his inner-Eric Clapton for “Full Measure of Pleasure”.  Vocally and sonically this song is an absolute gem. 

Keller has a sure-fire hit with It’s Time to Shine. It is a splendid listen from beginning to end with a dozen terrific songs which flow effortlessly from one to the next.                           

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

 

Check out other PhillyCheeze reviews for Dave Keller at :  https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=Dave+Keller

Available from Bandcamp

#638: Jonah Tolchin - Dockside (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

2023 – Clover Music Group

By Phillip Smith; Oct. 7, 2023

 

Release Date : Oct. 20, 2023

 

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

Dockside, the fifth album from Jonah Tolchin swiftly swept me off my feet with its real-deal North Mississippi blues, and sweet southern soul.  Co-produced by Tolchin and Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars), and recorded at Dockside Studios in Maurice, Louisiana, twelve-track recording of all-original songs signifies the first release on Tolchin’s brand new label Clover Music Group.  With Tolchin on vocals, lead guitar, and harmonica, and Dickinson on rhythm guitar, lead guitar, and clave, the other performers are comprised of drummer Terence Higgins (Warren Haynes), bassist Nic Coolidge, keyboardist Chris Joyner (Ben Harper), pianist Carey Frank (Tedeschi Trucks Band), vocalist Chavonne Stewart (Jackson Brown) and vocalist Marley Monroe.

When the Mississippi Hill Country sounds of “Blues With a Feeling” begin to flow from the first track, I knew this was going to be a great listen.  This funky and hypnotizing song sinks its teeth right in.  Without letting up, Tolchin pours a delightful glassful of Muscle Shoals-inspired music in “Searching For My Soul”.  This amalgam of blues, soul, and southern-roots-rock is finely crafted with insightful lyrics and an infectious hook.  Chills shoot down my spine when Tolchin opens with ‘I was born without a soul and a heart as dark as coal..” in “Save Me (From Myself)”.  I latch on quickly to the dark groove running through this track.  It’s a fabulous song.  Sometimes the mind is racing on auto-pilot and sleep begins to become a thing of the past.  Tolchin brilliantly reflects upon the whole experience in “Can’t Close My Eyes”.  Dickinson steps in on lead guitar for “Suffering Well”.  Strong breaths of Bentonia blues are released from this masterpiece, as scorching guitar licks burst from its soul.  The piano accompaniment from Frank sounds terrific as it glides along the funky rhythm on “Mama Don’t Worry”.  My ears perk up even more as Tolchin dazzles me on slide guitar.  

The blues of Dockside is as authentic as it gets.  Tolchin’s music on this album had my full attention from beginning to end.  It flowed from song to song in a perfectly constructed fashion.  This record will surely be noted as one of my favorite albums of 2023 and beyond.          

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

  

#637: Chad Rupp & The Sugar Roots - The Devil Won't Get You (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

2023 – Lightning in a Bottle Records

By Phillip Smith; Sep. 30, 2023

Release Date : Aug. 1, 2023

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

The Devil Won’t Get You is the second release from Portland, Oregon’s Chad Rupp & The Sugar Roots, and it’s stocked full of high-energy, all-original blues.  Headed up by Chad Rupp on vocals and guitar, this seven-piece ensemble is also comprised of Brady T. Goss on piano/Rhodes/Wurlitzer, Louis Pain on organ, Timmer Blakely on bass, Jimi Bolt on drums/percussion, Scott Franklin on saxophone, and Joe-Mack McCarthy on trumpet. 

Johnny Wheels from Johnny Wheels and the Swamp Donkeys makes a guest appearance on “Blues Men in Black” in which he lends a smokin’ dose of harp and vocals.  Rupp tears it up on guitar while Bolt lays down a big beat on drums.  The song is so hot, it’s downright nuclear.  “Leopard For Your Love” is solid blues through and through.  I dig the vintage Chicago Blues sound which pulses through the veins of this track.  Thing really begin to jump on “At the Candlelight Room”.  This bodacious track pays homage to the well-known blues club in Portland which unfortunately closed its doors in 2012.  Title-track “The Devil Won’t Get You” pays tribute to the music and locales of the Mississippi Delta.  It’s cool to hear Rupp name-drop locations in Clarksdale such as Abes BBQ and Ground Zero, along with performers Lala Craig, and Stan Street.  The album closes in style with a swinging, horn-infused treat called “Tighten It Up”.  Everyone comes together on this for a grand finale and I love every bit of it. 

Chad Rupp & The Sugar Roots have another winner with The Devil Won’t Get You.  It’s a fabulous listen. 

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#636: Blackburn Brothers - SoulFunkn'BLUES (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

2023 – Electro-Fi Records

By Phillip Smith; Sep. 23, 2023

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

SoulFunkin’BLUES, the latest album from the Canadian multi-award-winning blues band Blackburn Brothers, is one of the most exciting releases of the year.  Brothers Duane (lead vocals, organ, piano), Brooke (guitar, vocals), Cory (drums, harmony vocals), and Robert (guitar, harmony vocals), along with cousin Nathan (bass guitar) have crafted a powerful album of funk and soul which is garnering huge attention from the music community.    

Infused with the smooth sounds of Neil Brathwaite on tenor sax and Ted Peters on trombone, “Bobby’s Blues” leads the record off with a bowlful of buttery soul-blues.  The song perfectly sets the stage for the music which follows.  The gravitational force of “Soul Brother” pulls me right in with its funky Seventies groove.  Topped with Funkadelic-inspired vocal treats and references which would make Curtis Mayfield smile, the song dazzles me at every turn.  The brothers lay down a bit of Texas blues with “Won’t You Let Me Go”.  I dig the Stevie Ray Vaughn vibe which courses through the song’s veins.  “Freedom Train” arrives at the station loaded down with a shipment of funk.  Fortified with a bit of talk-box, this extraordinary track has a ton of bounce to the ounce and brings back wonderful memories of listening to Roger Troutman and Zapp.  There is a definite callback to Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come” in Blackburn Brothers’ “Little Sister”.  It’s a great song.

Albums like SoulFunkn’BLUES don’t come around very often.  It’s fantastic from beginning to end.  I highly recommend it. 

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For more information about the artist, visit this website : http://www.blackburnbrothersmusic.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

 

#634: Anthony Rosano and the Conqueroos - Cheat the Devil (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2023 – Whiskey Bayou Records

By Phillip Smith; Sep. 9, 2023

Release Date : July 7, 2023

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

The latest album from Anthony Rosano and the Conqueroos is appropriately named Cheat the Devil, ‘cause it is hot as hell.  Produced by Tab Benoit, this record is packed with ten searing guitar-centric blues tracks that will shake the floor underneath the speakers.  With Rosano on lead guitar and vocals, the Conqueroos are comprised of Kyle McCormick on drums and Jake Fultz on bass.

“Sweet Little Devil” rolls in with the sound of cowbell paving the path for a riveting electric intro from Rosano on guitar.  It plays through like a homage to Moutain’s “Mississippi Queen”.  I love how he grunges up the blues, setting the stage for an emotional rollercoaster of heartbreak in “What Kind of Fool”.  Rosano rips it up on “Sin City” and takes the listener for a Hendrix-inspired musical voyage.  After hearing the funky and ominous “Jonesboro Road”, I’ll certainly be looking over my shoulders on my next visit.  Shortly after a gospel-infused hand-clap kicks off “Cheat the Devil”, the torch is lit and Rosano fearlessly tears into an amazing performance of slide guitar.  His vocals are surely meant to sing the blues as they belt this title-track out.  McCormick drives a crushing beat on their paramount cover of Slim Harpo’s “King Bee”.  The track rocks on many levels with Fultz’s bassline blazing a fascinating journey of its own as Rosano takes his guitar in a cosmic direction.

Cheat the Devil from Anthony Rosano and the Conqueroos is a must-hear for blues fans, rockers, and guitar aficionados.         

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

 

#633: Willie J Laws Jr. - Too Much Blues (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

2023 – Pilot Light Records

By Phillip Smith; Sep. 6, 2023

Known as the “Last Prophet of the Funky Texas Blues”, Willie J Laws Jr., certainly lives up to his title in regards to his latest album Too Much Blues.  His blend of blues is enriched with a blast of funkdafied grooves, and I like it a lot.  The record, produced by Paul Nelson, features Laws on guitar and vocals, with Dave Johnson on bass, Brooks Milgate on keys/piano/organ/synth, and Justin Blackburn on drums/percussion.

Laws’ vocals ring out with smooth finesse as he breaks out his briefcase of soulful blues on “Better off Blue”.  “Stuck in Traffic” is a clever piece about the frustration many of us face each day.  I love the jazzy instrumental play between Laws on guitar and Milgate on keys.  Laws’ musical approach on this song reminds me of George Benson,  “Getcha’ Knee Off My Neck” invokes a classic George Clinton vibe to it.  With Erik Lawrence on sax, and Mark Berney on trumpet, Laws leads his ensemble to a large-scale P-Funk track.  His puts his own unique spin on his cover of Willie Dixon’s “I Want to be Loved” and it sounds great.  “Sorry Charlie” is a bodacious bowlful of real-deal blues featuring Jerry Portnoy on harp along with Paul Nelson on slide guitar.  The album closes with Laws’ velvety voice breaking out a stunning cover of The Isley Brothers 1973 hit song “Who’s That Lady?”. 

Too Much Blues has everything it needs to be nominated for Best Soul Blues album.  It really is a terrific recording. 

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

 

  

#632: Buckmiller Schwager Band - Live at XBK (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

Buckmiller Schwager Band

Live at XBK

2023 – Buckmiller Schwager Band

By Phillip Smith; Sep. 2, 2023

 Release Date : Sep. 1, 2023

  

After nearly a year and a half since the release of Buckmiller Schwager’s debut album To Memphis and Back, the Iowa boys have returned with a fabulous new album Live at XBK.  XBK, where this performance was recorded on April 6, 2023, is a 250-seat entertainment venue/listening room in the Drake neighborhood of Des Moines.  Performed with a full band comprised of vocalist/guitarist Tom Buckmiller, guitarist Brian Schwager, drummer Larry Mersereau and bassist Eric Smidt, this album of new songs, favorites, and covers wonderfully captures the electric essence of their live shows. 

The set starts off in a bodacious way with their smoking original “Thrill of the Thrill”.  Schwager lets loose on guitar with a searing performance, and it sounds great.  Their cover of Luther Allison’s “Cherry Red Wine” steals my heart as I feel every note navigate right into my being.  The mood swings one hundred eighty degrees to their rocking anthem “These Are the Good Days”.  This one keeps me focused on the bright side of life.  Schwager ushers in a vibrant boogie shuffle on John Lee Hooker’s “Boom Boom”, with Buckmiller delightfully delivering his deep growly vocals.  I love the sampler platter of music they serve on “Keeping the Blues Alive”.  This mini class on the genre brings a smile my face as they cover various styles of blues as found in different regions of America : Chicago, West Coast, Texas, and Detroit.

If the new originals are a taste of what’s to come on Buckmiller Schwager’s next studio album, I am all-in.  Live at XBK has been on heavy-rotation in my ear-pods for the past couple of weeks, and I don’t think that will change any time soon.

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

 

Check out other PhillyCheeze reviews for Buckmiller Schwager Band at :  https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=Buckmiller+Schwager

  

Click on the link below to purchase this terrific album from Bandcamp.

#631: Scott Weis Band - Raise Your Hands (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

Scott Weis Band

Raise Your Hands

2023 – A Happy Carrot Production

By Phillip Smith; Aug. 26, 2023

Release Date : Aug. 1, 2023

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

I’ve immensely enjoyed the past couple of releases from Scott Weis Band. Their eighth and latest album Raise Your Hands is no exception.  For something a little different this time Weis injects a heavy dose of southern rock into his blues and it sounds fantastic.  Weis is joined again by drummer Roger Voss and bassist Robert Kopec.  He is also accompanied by vocalist Cindy Mizelle, keyboardist John Ginty, and percussionist Bashiri Johnson, with Sarah Smith making a guest appearance on vocals.

Weis fills the air with the swampy sounds of the Mississippi Delta on the first track “Motherless Child”.  I enjoy hearing him tear it up on slide guitar with the rolling sounds of organ joining in.  “Shine Down” follows up in a nice Skynyrd-esque fashion.  I love the arrangement of the backing vocals on this slow cooker.  Vocally and instrumentally, it hits on all cylinders.  There’s a lot of ZZ Top influence running in the hard-driving Texas boogie-laced blues of ”Judgement Day”.  I like to turn the volume up when this track starts.  One of my favorite Beatles covers is Joe Cocker’s take on “With a Little Help From My Friends”.  Weis delightfully takes on the Joe Cocker version and it sounds glorious.  His gravelly vocals nail every note of this six-minute classic as the band comes together in a full-on Muscle Shoals-fashion.  Weis breaks out the dobro and Kopec the standup bass on “Bring Me Home” to close out the album.  The stripped-down vintage sound fully captures my attention as is conjures up memories of seeing the legendary Watermelon Slim in Clarksdale, Mississippi.

With songwriting and performance both taking top priority, Scott Weis Band has another winner with Raise Your Hands.  I appreciate how the music flows seamlessly from beginning to end, taking on an album-oriented rock appeal.  This is a release I am highly recommending.

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For more information about Scott Weis Band visit their website at :  https://scottweisband.com/

 

Check out other PhillyCheeze reviews for Scott Weis at :  https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=Scott+Weis