#374 : Paul Nelson - Over Under Through

2019 – Riverwide Records

By Phillip Smith; Feb. 10, 2019

Over Under Through the new album from Paul Nelson is a powerful one to say the least.  His songs, poignant and masterfully crafted, are delivered with finesse.  Drawing inspiration from artists like Amos Lee, Ray Lamontagne, and Lyle Lovett, Nelson carves out his own style, and leaves me wanting to hear more.   

Of the eleven tracks on the record, all are original with the exception of one.  That one exception is an amazing, retooled cover of Johnny Cash’s “I Walk the Line”.  He definitely made this one his own.   Nelson’s pulsing blues-laden spiritual, “Go Down Ezekiel” is terrific and swampy, with guitarist Kevin Barry (Rosanne Cash, Susan Tedeschi, Paula Cole) onboard.  The poetic dirge “Ghost in the Basement”, an absolute favorite, is beautifully written and sang with a heartfelt performance.  In “Silent Majority”, Nelson takes a Dylan-esque stance and boldly proclaims that silence strengthens authority, indifference paves the way, and ain’t nothing gonna ever change if we’re silent.  The song is loaded with a twangy goodness from Barry, and nicely accented with harmonizing backing vocals from Kristin Cifelli, Ellis Paul, and Nickie Fuller.    

Paul Nelson scores huge with this recording.  Terrific from beginning to end, Over Under Through is a captivating and rewarding listen.

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#373 : John Mayall - Nobody Told Me

2019 – Forty Below Records

Release Date : Feb. 22, 2019

By Phillip Smith; Feb. 2, 2019

The highly revered Godfather of British Blues, John Mayall is back, and this time he’s bringing a slew of A-list guitarists to the studio with him.  The list of guests on this album is comprised of Todd Rundgren, Little Steven Van Zandt (E Street Band), Alex Lifeson (Rush), Joe Bonamassa, Larry McCray and Carolyn Wonderland, all of whom are noted as personal favorites of Mayall.  Returning to the studio with the godfather is Greg Rzab on bass guitar and Jay Davenport on drums.  Billy Watts appears on rhythm guitar as well, along with Mayall’s horn section (who are also members of the house band for Conan O’Brian).  Produced by Eric Corne (founder of Forty Below Records), and recorded in the famed Foo Fighters’ Studio 606, which houses the legendary Sound City console, the album has a sweet rich sound, and a luxurious, polished ambience.

The album opens with a down-home blues number by Magic Sam, “What Have I Done Wrong”.  Mayall’s vocals are perfect for singing the blues, and Joe Bonamassa, needless to say, absolutely tears it up on guitar.  Bonamassa also appears on the cover of “Delta Hurricane”, the title track to Larry McCray’s 1993 album. The groove on this is delightful, with Mayall on keys, Bonamassa on guitar, and a stellar brass accompaniment.  McCray kills it on the Albert Collins song, “The Moon is Full”. I could listen to him play all day long.  His performance on Gary Moore’s “The Hurt Inside” is wonderful too.

It’s a rare treat to hear Rush’s Alex Lifeson play hard core blues. With Mayall bringing it home on harp and keys, Lifeson pours himself into his performance on “Evil and Here to Stay” a tune from the late, great Jeff Healey. The funky riff Rundgren opens Little Milton’s “That’s What Love Will Make You Do” with, brings me immediately into the song.  The horn section punches it up quite nicely while Rundgren keeps the endorphinic energy flowing freely.  Hearing Little Steven dole out some serious blues in “It’s So Tough”, brings a giant smile to my face.  It’s nothing short of an amazing listen.

I love the three tracks Carolyn Wonderland appears on.  She boldly takes on Bonamassa’s “Distant Lonesome Train”, and plays the hell out of it.  Her slide guitar is an absolute delight.  She also covers a couple of Mayall-penned songs.  With the timing of B.B. King, she instills a relaxed breath into title track “Nobody Told Me”, and puts the moxie in “Like it Like You Do”.

Nobody Told Me is a one of a kind record. The song choices Mayall makes for this are fantastic, and their execution is absolutely brilliant.          

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Past PhillyCheeze reviews for John Mayall…

           

John Mayall - A Special Life :

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2014/07/john-mayall-special-life.html

John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers - Live in 1967 : 

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2015/05/john-mayalls-bluesbreakers-live-in-1967.html

John Mayall - Find a Way to Care :

 https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2015/08/john-mayall-find-way-to-care.html

John Mayall - Talk About That :

 https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2017/05/john-mayall-talk-about-that.html

#372 : Jim Dan Dee - Jim Dan Dee

2018 –Jim Dan Dee

By Phillip Smith; January 26, 2019

Jim Dan Dee, the debut self-titled album from Toronto-based Jim Dan Dee is a high-energy and bluesy listen.  The band name itself stems from the expression, “Everything is just Jim Dandy”, and defines the essence of their music. The phrase also defines the front-man singer/guitarist Jim Stefanuk aka Jim Dan Dee.   Along with Stefanuk, the rest of the band is comprised of bassist Brian McCarthy, saxophonist Jason “Bobby” Sewerynek, and drummer Shawn Royal. 

With Royal and McCarthy dishing out a heart-pounding pulse, Stefanuk drives “Save My Soul” with a fearless hard-driving fashion, filling the song with catchy-as-hell riffs.  I love the sax accompaniment, and the angelic backing vocals from “Sweet” Jules Cordosa.  “Payday” packs quite a wallop too.   A fistful of swagger and Jim’s gravelly take-charge voice take this song to the next level.  “When You Move Like That” shines with the spirit of John Lee Hooker as it races through the speakers.  The jam on this is very nice indeed, filled with backing keys played by Jesse Karwat and blasts of sax to punch it up.  Jim Dan Dee takes a suave yet ominous approach with “Killer”.  This is such a fabulously composed song, and Jim’s guitar prowess is styleful and captivating.  Stefanuk confronts Old Scratch himself in “Walking Shoes”, as he closes the album out with a little bit of grease and shaker full of psychedelia.  It’s terrific.     

Bulletproof and dripping with cool, Jim Dan Dee has surely been one my favorite surprises this year.  It’s quite the album.

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For more information about the artist, visit this website.. www.jimdandee.com 

#371 : Anthony Gomes - Peace, Love & Loud Guitars

2018 – Up 2 Zero Entertainment

By Phillip Smith; Jan, 19, 2019

Anthony Gomes is such a powerhouse of a musician; I can’t help but love everything he puts out.  His latest album, Peace, Love & Loud Guitars, is a smashing success due to his guitar mastery, raspy commanding vocals, and diligent songwriting chops.  Gomes’ band consists of bassist Mike Brignardello, drummer/percussionist Greg Morrow, keyboardist David Smith, with Chris Leuzinger on acoustic guitar.

The front half of the album leads off with a terrific homage to the legendary king of the blues, BB King, on “Come Down”.  Gomes keeps this one fired up with an infectious riff, and piles it on thick with scads of smile-worthy BB King-style licks.  He blows the roof off the house with his ode to the queens of manufactured housing with “White Trash Princess”.  The number of songs out in the world about drinking is almost limitless, and “The Whiskey Made Me Do It” tops the list.  Gomes slide guitar on this is magnificent.     

Title track, “Peace, Love & Loud Guitars” kicks off the second half of the album, with a killer hook, and the ferocity of AC/DC.  Charlie Daniels sang about the time “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”.  Black Oak Arkansas had a “Race With the Devil”, and Van Halen was “Running With the Devil”.  There’s something kind of kickass about those songs, and Gomes fearlessly throws his hat into the ring of badassery to recant a tale about taking a ballsy visit down to the infamous crossroads.  His mission: to take Robert Johnson’s soul back from Beelzebub, as he sets out to go “Stealin’ From the Devil”.  This one absolutely rocks.  Gomes continues rocking hard with “Hard Road Easy”, which leads off in a Led Zepplin “Kashmir” manner.

Peace, Love & Loud Guitars is an album every fan of blues-rock needs to pick up.   Gomes puts the rock in blues-rock, and has indeed set a new bar for himself with this release. 

     

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For more information about the artist, visit this website :  www.anthonygomes.com

#370 : Little Freddie King - Fried Rice & Chicken

2018 – Orleans Records

By Phillip Smith; January 13, 2019

At seventy-eight, Little Freddie King is still ferociously pumping out raw, live blues in New Orleans at The DBA, and BJ’s Lounge.  His latest album, Fried Rice & Chicken is derived from six tracks off his 1996 release Swamp Boogie, and five songs from his 2000 in-concert album Sing Sang Sung. For those like me who missed the boat on those two albums, this is a great one to pick up. 

For the Swamp Boogie half, King is joined by bassists Earl Stanley and Robert Wilson, upright bassist Jason Sipher, drummers Kerry Brown and Bradley Wisham, and ‘Crazy’ Rick Allen on the Wurlitzer electric piano and organ.  The album opens with a splendidly funky instrumental cover of Jr. Walker and the All Stars’ “Cleo’s Back”.  King plays this with a slice old school twang, as Allen drizzles the song with an early Stax/Booker T. Jones vibe.  King also tears it up on Ray Charles’ “What’d I Say”, the other cover on the Swamp Boogie half of the record.  I love “The Great Chinese”.  This pseudo-instrumental has a definite Champs (“Tequilla”) influence.  Its rhythm pulls me in for a funky ride.  Another endearing instrumental, “Kinky Cotton Fields” is delivered with a western, cowboy twang.

The second half of Fried Rice & Chicken features recordings from two 1999 shows at Dream Palace in New Orleans.  The musicians playing with King on these tracks consist of long-time collaborator ‘Wacko’ Wade Wright on drums, Anthony Anderson on electric bass, and Bobby Lewis DiTullio on harmonica.  This act kicks off in a no-holds-barred way with a fantastic hardcore blues jam called “Sing Sang Sung”. King continues to rip it up on guitar, DiTullio kills it on harp, and Wright keeps the pulse adrenalized on drums.  Singing from the heart, King splendidly covers Jimmy Reed’s 1957 classic “Honest I Do”.   He also pays a rockin’ tribute to his namesake, Freddie King on “Hide Away”.  The album comes to a close with the funky country blues original “Bad Chicken”.  I can feel the smiles on the musicians’ faces, every time I hear it.  

Fried Rice & Chicken is a pure gem, and its rawness fascinates me.

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