#488 : Head Honchos - Blues Alliance

2020 – Grooveyard Records

By Phillip Smith; Feb. 26, 2021

Head Honchos, a heavy-duty blues-rock band from Indiana, grabbed my full attention from the git-go with their second album Blues Alliance.  This power-quartet, centered on dual guitars manned by lead vocalist Rocco Calipari Sr. and his son Rocco Calipari Jr. is definitely a band that deserves a hell of a lot of attention.  Comprising the rest of the band is bassist Mike Boyle and drummer Will Wyatt.  Eleven tracks in length, the album features nine outstanding originals and two stellar covers.

I love the dirty, greasy groove on “Mr. Bad”.  It sounds so damn good paired up with the ripping guitars from the Caliparis.  Raw and blood-thirsty vocals from Rocco Sr. take full command.  “She Got That Thing” is nearly six minutes of funky rockin’ bliss.  I have to give bonus points for solos from Wyatt on drums, and Boyle on bass.  Another song that digs right in is “Can’t Be Satisfied” with its fearless driving rhythm, pounding drums, and infectious riff.  Scooped up by the Chuck Berry influence on “Rock n’ Roll”, I grab on tight for the ride and enjoy this no-holds-barred rocker.

Their cover of “Evil”, written by Willie Dixon and originally recorded by Howlin’ Wolf is magnificent.  This performance is so reminiscent of classic Zeppelin.  A breakneck pulse, searing guitars, and fearless vocals make this the stand-out track.  The record closes with another fantastic cover.  Serendipitously, very shortly before I decided to review this album, I became enthralled with Big Ass Truck’s version of the Al Green song, “I’m A Ram”.  Then I discovered that song was covered by Head Honchos too.  Al Green made it soulful.  Big Ass Truck made it funky. Govt Mule made it somewhat reggae.  Now Head Honcho gives it a swampy makeover, with lots of slide and some juicy harp from Wyatt.

Blues Alliance is a record I very highly recommend.  It’s going down as one of my favorites of the year. 

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

 

 

Take a listen to the album on Apple Music, and if you decide to purchase it, use my special link.  This helps keep the PhillyCheeze site going.

#487 : John D'Amato - Blood on the Strings

 

Tru Blu Records

By Phillip Smith; Feb. 20, 2021

 

John D’Amato’s third and most recent album Blood on the Strings is a terrific follow-up to Born Blue: The Sun Sessions.  His guitar prowess shines brightly on this self-produced ten-track record of blues.  It’s surely no surprise this master of the guitar made the cut in 2009 for Guitar Player Magazine’s Editors Top 8.  His style is effortlessly clean with a retro sound.  Backing D’Amato in the studio for this album of all-original songs is his wife Lauren D’Amato on lead and background vocals, Carl Brenner on drums, Hottub Willie Scruggs on bass guitar (7 tracks), John Green on bass guitar (3 tracks), Dan Nadassi on keys (7 tracks), and Geno Haffner on keys (3 tracks).

John tears it up on guitar from the start on “Gal in Memphis”, a duet he sings with Lauren.  I really like the slow blues of “Rich Man” too.  It has a very nice Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) style.  Title-track “Blood on the Strings” recollects John’s early days of learning guitar.  It’s packed with hot licks and a driving rhythm.  Even Jesus, with his humble beginning and violent end, gets the blues in “Walk on Water”.  A definite favorite and a very fitting song for the day “Walk Away” preaches that something has got to change.  It’s beautifully constructed and leaves the listener with a positive message.  The album ends with a rocker called “Rollin’” about a musician’s life on the road.  D’Amato laces this one with an infectious riff which quickly makes itself at home buried in my brain,

Blood on the Strings is a solid album with a kick-ass name.   It’s definitely worth the listen.

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For more information about the artist, visit this website : https://johndamato.net/

 

 

Take a listen to the album on Apple Music, and if you decide to purchase it, use my special link.  This helps keep the PhillyCheeze site going.

#486 : Alastair Greene - The New World Blues

 

2020 – Whiskey Bayou Records

By Phillip Smith; Feb. 13, 2021

I’ve been a fan of Alastair Greene since reviewing his 2017 release Dream Train.  That album came to fruition soon after his lengthy gig of playing with Alan Parsons.  Hearing his latest album, The New World Blues, only made me more of a fan.  Greene is rocker rooted in blues, and a bluesman rooted in rock.  His songs are solid as hell, and his guitar prowess is absolutely stunning.  Tab Benoit, cofounder of Whiskey Bayou Records produced the album, and took on drums, with bass player Corey Duplechin rounding out this paramount power-trio. 

“Living Today” gets this eleven-track record off to a ripping start, with Greene reminding us to let our love shine through this world gone mad.  The song is quite powerful.  Benoit throws down a monster beat as Greene absolutely tears it up on guitar.  Greene pours a jug-full of delta grease into “Bayou Mile” a ballad of reflection. This one puts a smile on my face and makes me think of home.  Things heat up when Greene breaks out a big ol’ case of Texas-style blues on his instrumental “Back at the Poor House”.  This one evokes the fabulous sounds of Stevie Ray Vaughan.  Sitting atop a delicate framework, is this beautiful and melancholy song called “Heroes”.  It totally captivated me, both lyrically and musically.  When I heard the harmonized vocals, I was instantly reminded of one of my favorite bands in the nineties, The Meat Puppets.  The album comes to a walloping finish on title-track “The New World Blues” with Greene doling out heaping helpings of swampy electric slide.  It sounds so damn good. 

“The New World Blues” is definitely among the best albums I’ve heard this year.  It’s surely one blues-rock fans will want to grab.   

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

 

Take a listen to the album on Apple Music, and if you decide to purchase it, use my special link.  This helps keep the PhillyCheeze site going.

#485 : Vanessa Collier - Heart on the Line

2020 – Phenix Fire Records / Vanessa Collier

By Phillip Smith; Feb. 6, 2021

 

They say you got to strike while the iron is hot, and that is exactly what Vanessa Collier is doing.  As the recipient of the “Horn Player of the Year” award for two years in a row at the Blues Music Awards in 2019 and 2020, this artist is surely setting herself up for a three-peat.  Collier brings an immense amount of talent to the studio for her fourth album Heart on the Line.  She’s truly at the top of her game both vocally and as a sax player.  Backing Collier on this eleven-track album is Laura Chavez on electric guitar, C.C. Ellis, Scott Sutherland (Mike Zito, Albert Castiglia), and Cornell Williams on bass, William Gorman on organ/piano, Quinn Carson on trombone, and Doug Woolverton on trumpet.

I absolutely love “Bloodhound”, Collier sings the song with a sweet Mississippi twang as Chavez pours gobs of swampy goodness all over her slide guitar.  Topped with horns and searing guitar, the rolling rhythm on “Take a Chance on Me” is funky and infectious.  Collier beautifully delivers another outstanding dose of original blues with her breathtaking voice and mastery of the saxophone on “Weep and Moan”,

Out of the eleven tracks, all are original with the exception of two covers.  The first being a groovy remake of James Brown’s “Super Bad”.  Slathered with heaping helpings of delicious sax, this one leads the album off in style.  The second is a fresh and hip take on Randy Neuman’s “Leave Your Hat On”.  Collier really gets down on this one.   It’s plumb terrific.

Heart on the Line is an album I would highly recommend.  It’s a superb recording.                

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(note: In 2019, I had the pleasure of catching Laura Chavez perform with Nikki Hill as the Friday night headliner at the Prairie Dog Blues Festival in Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin.  The show was downright splendid.)   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

Take a listen to the album on Apple Music, and if you decide to purchase it, use my special link.  This helps keep the PhillyCheeze site going.

#484 : Shakin' Woods - The Blues Groove Sessions #1

2020 – Shakin’ Woods

By Phillip Smith; Jan. 30, 2021

Hailing from the Washington DC metro area, Shakin’ Woods, is a blues-rock band drenched in funk and southern-soul.  This talented quartet was formed in 2019 and is comprised of singer/guitarist Rich Russman, keyboardist/guitarist Austin Day, bassist George Belton and drummer Paul Dudley.  The Blues Groove Sessions #1, a four-track EP, is the first of several EPs planned to be released by the band this year, with the next released titled The Blues Proper Sessions #2.

I love the funky bass groove running through ‘Like a Superman”, it tracks wonderfully with the disco-friendly pulse Dudley creates.  Russman delivers the goods with the finesse of Steely Dan, incorporating smooth vocals, and a standout guitar performance.  “The Place to Be” leaves me with a big grin on my face as the friendly Phish-like groove creeps over to a psychedelic Hendrix-influenced bridge, and then back again.  Then while on the subject of Phish, they fantastically cover Trey Anastasio’s “Cayman Review”.  The EP ends on a beautiful and melancholy note as Russman sings of intertwined souls in “Still Alive”.  I can feel the emotion pouring out of his guitar in lush and bountiful waves.

The Blues Groove Sessions #1 is absolutely marvelous.  I can’t wait to hear the follow-up EPs.

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

 

 

Take a listen to the album on Apple Music, and if you decide to purchase it, use my special link.  This helps keep the PhillyCheeze site going.