Even though B.B. King has been gone for four
years now, his spirit and legacy lives on.His band of over 35 years The BB King Blues Band, with the
support of several guest artists have created a wonderful blues album The Soul of the King.The band is comprised of lead vocalist/bassist
Russell Jackson, guitarist Wilbert Crosby, drummers Brandon Jackson
and Herman Jackson, trumpeters James Boogaloo Bolden and Lamar
Boulet, lead saxophonist Eric Demmer, saxophonist Walter King,
keyboardist Darrell Lavigne, and trombonist Raymond Harris.
The energy of the big band is exquisitely captured on
“Irene Irene”, an original tune featuring the great Kenny Wayne Shepherd on
guitar. This smoking blues track is
heavily steeped in the B.B. King sound. Hearing Mary Griffin and Taj Mahal
pair up for a duet on “Paying the Cost to be the Boss” is indeed a special treat.
Joe Louis Walker makes an
appearance to perform his song “Regal Blues (A Tribute to the King)”, making
sure to throw in a sweet guitar solo. For
the grand finale, the band delivers B.B.’s signature song “The Thrill is Gone”
with Michael Lee on lead vocals. Lee,
from Season 15 of The Voice, absolutely does this one right.Other special guests on the album include, Kenny
Neal, Diunna Greenleaf, and John Del Toro Richardson.
Soul
of the King is an absolute gem and I highly recommend it for all
blues fans.
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I was happy as a lark to see Ghost Town Blues
Band return to the region on their latest Canada/Midwest tour.They truly are one of my favorite bands.Presented by the Mississippi Valley Blues
Society, and hosted by the Moline Viking Club, the show featured two
bodacious sets of riveting high-energy blues.Fronted by Matt Isbell on lead vocals and guitars, Ghost Town
Blues band is also comprised of lead guitarist Taylor Orr, bassist Matt
Karner, drummer Andrew McNeil, organist/keyboardist Cedric Taylor,
and trombonist Suavo Jones.
As soon as the band kicked the first set into gear
with “Hate to See Her Go”, and “Memphis Blues”, I knew it was going to be a
sensational show.They broke out “Dust the
Dust” and ”Big Shirley” too, the latter of which sweetly rolled right into Led
Zepplin’s “Rock and Roll”. I loved
the funky two-fer including “Shine” and "Givin’ It All Away” from their latest
album, Backstage Pass.Suavo belted out such a tremendous
solo on trombone.It was absolutely amazing.Isbell pulled out his one-of-a-kind
cigar box guitar he made out of his late grandmother’s silver drawer for an enthralling
performance of “Road Still Drives the Same”.
With a Bourbon Street-style entrance, horns and
drums in hand, the band marched back into the venue for the second set playing “When
the Saints Go Marching In”.That was so
fun to watch.They played “Memphis Train”
and “Tip of My Hat” soon after.When
they broke into the Beatles’ “Come Together” though, it was quite magical. Like sword-wielding knights, Suavo and Isbell
squared off. While Suavo extended
the outer slide tube of his trombone skyward, Isbell held his cigar box
high in the air, nailing every note as the guitar neck maneuvered about the trombone
as a slide.It’s such a unique and
amazing feat to witness. Afterward, Orr
gave a smokin’ guitar solo on “One More Whiskey”, then the band wrapped up with
a spectacular extended jam on “Whipping Post”. It was such a wonderful evening of music, I can’t
wait to see them again.
Coyote
Kings, that fiery blues band from Wala Wala, Washington which
I’ve been reviewing since 2011, is back once again with yet another rockin’
album of blues. The album is called Rocket, and it happens to be the Coyote
Kings first on Tim Langford’s (Too Slim & the Taildraggers)
music label Underword Records. This
is also their first album featuring their new singer, Tiphony Dames whorecorded her debut self-titled album with the band in 2017.Led by guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Robin
Barrett, Coyote Kings is also comprised of bassist Kit Kuhlmann
and drummer Gordon Townsend.
“Drive Me”, with its bluesy beatnik vibe scores huge,
blending searing guitar licks from Barrett and Diego Romero with a
fierce accompaniment from Nate Miller on sax.Dame’s vocals are smooth as silk, and
sound great.Things get heavy with “Break
Free” as Barrett throws down a riff that’s infectious and yet psychedelically
ominous. Miller shreds the sax
again, as Barrett unleashes the funk in “All Tangled Up”.The mood softens when Dame sings “Baby’s
Gone”, a heartbreaking lament of lost love.Her vocals really shine here.The
album comes to a close with a beautiful five-minute instrumental called “Song
For Shaman”, featuring guest bassist Kelin Kreider. The track is absolutely
stunning.
Rocket, the sixth album from the Coyote Kings is a positive
step in a new direction for the band, and I look forward to hearing more from
them with Tiphony.
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For more information about the artist, visit this
website.. coyotekings.com Take a listen to the album on Apple Music, and if you decide to purchase it, use my special link.
I’ve been a fan of Nick Schnebelen since
reviewing Trampled Under Foot’s 2011 release Wrong Side of the Blues for Blues Revue Magazine’s online
zine BluesWax.I remember being in such awe of great
talent when I saw the band perform live at Riverside Casino in 2012.Schnebelen’sLive in Kansas City album, released in 2017, was outstanding, and this
brand-new record Crazy All By Myself
is absolutely terrific.Producer/drummer
Tony Braunagel (Taj Mahal, Robert Cray), along with heavy hitters, organist/pianist
Mike Finnigan and bassist Hutch Hutchinson form one hell of a
rhythm section.
I love the groove Braunagel and bassist Reggie
McBride pour over “It Ain’t Me”. Smooth and intoxicating, it washes over me,
like a fine bourbon. Hearing Schnebelen
let loose on guitar is pure joy.Finnigan
absolutely cooks on piano for “Ain’t Got Time For the Blues”.The song is a massive dose of adrenalized blues
with more stellar guitar from Nick. Another song that grabs my full attention is “Alter
of Love” which happens to feature one my favorite harp players, Jason Ricci.This is one positively fabulous.
Schnebelen breaks
out some wonderfully delicious slide guitar as he expresses his fondness for Harley
Davidsons in the double-entendre loaded bike song “I’m a Fat Boy”.With “Soul Magic”, the lovely Heather
Newman appears on backing vocals, as Nick reveals his prowess as an
R&B singer. “Holding On”, beautifully
performed and featuring the great Davy Knowles on guitar, is another
favorite.
Focused and fierce, Schnebelen has taken his
music up another notch. Crazy All By
Myself is definitely a record for blues fans to take notice of.
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For more information about the artist, visit the website : www.nickschnebelenkc.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.
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There’s a certain essence to the music of Billy
Hector.He writes great songs, his
guitar performances rock the house, and his voice is made for the blues.I love his work.This New Jersey blues artisthas topped
himself once again with his latest album, Some
Day Baby. It’s not just the blues which
Hector is a master of, but the man also knows his way around funk and
soul in a tremendous way as well.
Once I hear the horns regally lead “Wizard of Babylon”
in on the first track, I know I’m in store for a delightful listen. Hector’s guitar sizzles as the groove
kicks in. With Winston Royce on
bass guitar, and Val Romaine on drums, title track “Some Day Baby” is absolutely
fabulous.It’s magnificently punched up
with horn accompaniment from Tom Labella and John Martin, and magically
charged with an energy much akin to that of the Red Hot Chili Peppers taking
on Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”.Another favorite is the George Clinton-esque, funk-infused “Butt
Naked and Funk”.Bassist Erik Boyd
and drummer Rich Monica pair up for the rhythm section on this wonderful
jam. There’s an unavoidable intoxicating
rhythm which draws me into “Creeper”.The deep tones in Hector’s vocals are superb as he sings this
song of infidelity, which by the way is enjoyably topped off with keys from John
Ginty. The way Hector transforms "Moonlight in Her Eyes" from a rolling blues tune to a Beatles-like orchestrated number is pure genius.
Hector
quite nicely takes on a couple of traditional tunes with “On Your Bond”, originally
released by Blind Willie Johnson in 1930 , and “Alabama Bound”.“Whisky”, a dark and brilliant tune dances
atop a menacing atmosphere created by David Nunez on keys and drummer Larry
Crockett. Hector plays this
with an emotional bravado. The album comes to a lively close with “Road to
Happiness”, a soulful duet with his wife and co-producer Suzan Lastovica.
Some
Day Baby, a terrific album from start to finish, is definitely
an addition to my favorites of 2018.
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For more information about the artist, visit this
website.. www.billyhector.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.
Click on the link below to
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The first time I saw Anthony Gomes, the year
was 2012, and he was opening up for the legendary B.B. King at the
Paramount Theater in Cedar Rapids.The
sheer exuberance in his performance and mastery of guitar grabbed my full
attention.Saturday, March 2nd,
he gave a stellar performance at the Redstone Room in Davenport, Iowa. With Gomes on guitar and lead vocals,
he was joined on stage by bassist Sean Holland and drummer Jeremy
Howard.
From
the git-go he rocked out with “Nasty Good”, and “Your Mama Wants to do Me (and
Your Daddy Wants to do Me In)”, from his latest album Peace Love & Loud Guitars, an album which was a PhillyCheezeBlues
blog pick of the week in January. He also
tore it up on his ode to Crown Royal with “Purple Whiskey Sack” from his
2006 album, Long Way Home.
His
cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child” was outstanding.Gomes was totally in his element, as he
let loose on this one.I was glad to
hear “White Trash Princess”.It’s one of
my favorites on the new album, as is the title track “Peace, Love, and Loud
Guitars”.“Blues in the First Degree” also made the cut,
and it sounded great.It was such a joy
to hear him play the new material.
For
the encore, Gomes brought the show to close, splendidly ripping it up on
his stately homage to the King of the Blues, with “Come Down”. It was magnificent, as was the show.I can’t wait to see him perform again.
The
Music Maker Relief Foundation, whose mission is “to preserve the musical traditions of the South
by directly supporting the musicians who make it, ensuring their voices will not
be silenced by poverty and time”, is issuing a new book and CD package
called Blue Muse to celebrate their twenty-fifth
year.According to their website,
musicmaker.org, this organization, founded by Timothy and Denise
Duffy, has helped with over 12,000 grants, and has supported 435 artists.Blue
Muse contains twenty-one tracks of southern blues and roots music from various
artists. It features recordings made from
the nineties up to the present day, with tracks contributed by both Taj
Mahal who beautifully performs “Spike Driver Blues” and Eric Clapton
who joins with Timothy Duffy for a sweet instrumental cover of Willie
Brown’s “Mississippi Blues”.
Eddie
Tigner who played many years with the Ink Spots and
was at one time the lead of Elmore James’ house band, tears it up on
piano with his performance of “Route 66”. When Alabama Slim kicks off “I
Got the Blues”, it puts a big smile on my face.His hypnotic guitar stylings pull me deep into the song.The soulful deep-cutting vocals of Robert
Finley marvelously sing out on “Age Don’t Mean a Thing”.With Jimbo Mathus on guitar and Al
Gamble on keys, this is southern soul at its best. Former Carolina Chocolate Drop co-founder
Dom Flemons breaks out his harmonica and sings “Polly Put the Kettle On”.Ben Hunter appears on fiddle and Guy
Davis on guitar, making this traditional song also covered by the blues-great
Sonny Boy Williamson, a delightful listen.
One can feel the blues in the voice of the late great
Piedmont Blues artist Algia Mae Hinton, who passed in February of 2018, as
she delivers “Snap Your Fingers”.Guitar
Gabriel’s “Landlord Blues” oozes with authenticity. ‘The Blues Doctor’ Drink Small from
Columbia, South Carolina wonderfully sings and picks “Widow Woman”, a melancholy
and reflective piece paying homage to those who have lost their husbands.
This collection also contains “I am the Lightning”
from one my recent favorites, Willie Farmer whose latest album, The Man From the Hill was reviewed on my
blog last month. This is such cool song.I was also happy to see Ironing
Board Sam’s “Loose Diamonds” appear on this album too. His CD, Super
Spirit, which this track is from, was one of my memorable finds in 2018
while visiting one of my favorite stores on the planet, Cat Head Delta Blues
& Folk Art in Clarksdale, Mississippi.
Available by March 28th, 2019 , Blue Museis also paired with a
powerful 152 page companion book titled Blue
Muse: Timothy Duffy’s Southern Photographs, published in association with
the New Orleans Museum of Art, and loaded with tintype photos taken by Duffy
of musicians representing American roots music.For more information or to purchase this set, visit musicmaker.org .
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Track list:
La Collegiale – The Grotto Sessions (Guitar Gabriel, Ironing Board Sam, Etta Baker, Captain Luke, Alabama Slim, Neal Pattman)
At the core of the Atomic Road Kings sits
vocalist/multi-instrumentalist ‘Big’ Jon Atkinson (Kim Wilson) and master
harp player Eric ‘Jailhouse’ VonHerzen (Walter Trout, Social
Distortion, Kid Ramos).Together, with
bassist Bill Stuve, drummer Malachi Johnson, and guitarists Scot
Smart and Danny Michel, they bring a robust, vintage blues sound
into the studio to create their debut album, Clean Up the Blood. The album contains eleven original songs, and
one traditional cover.Recorded live at Atkinson’s
studio using vintage analog gear from the Forties and Fifties, the album
has an authentic retro vibe to it and sounds terrific.
Stuve’s
slow blues bassline and Atkinson’s commanding vocals make “Rumors” such
a cool song.TonyDelgado, on lead
guitar, gives a smoking performance too. I love “Vibrations” as well.This throw-back with a Howlin’ Wolf
vibe features a splendid accompaniment from pianist Robert Welch.The ominous nature of title-track “Clean Up
the Blood” digs deep to the bone.Atkinson
and VonHerzen are definitely at the top of their game when it comes to
composing timeless-in-nature blues songs. Von Herzen keeps the rhythm rolling on “Two
Sided Story” with his magnificent harp playing. More bluesy goodness ensues with “Back Down South”.
Atomic
Road Kings is definitely a band for the blues enthusiasts to
keep an eye on.They are the real deal
indeed.
Willie Farmer, an auto mechanic from Duck Hill,
Mississippi, who’s owned his own shop for over forty years, scores huge with
his splendid new blues album, The Man From
the Hill. Recorded at Delta Sonic Sound in Memphis, Farmer
enlists top-tier talent to back him, like Jimbo Mathus (Squirrel Nut
Zippers), Will Sexton, Mark Edgar Stuart, and Al Gamble (
St.Paul and the Broken Bones).
I love that rolling rhythm embedded into Farmer’s
songs. On Junior Kimbrough’s “Feel
So Bad”, which leads the album off, the riff is unavoidably hypnotic and
alluring.He also rolls out a hearty cover
of “Shake It”, originally from Jessie Mae Hemphill. “I am the Lightning”, is also heavily soaked
in the North Mississippi hill country waters.It just pulls me right on in.This track in particular also appears on an upcoming release called Blue Muse, a various artist collection
from the Music Maker Relief Foundation.
An avid churchgoer who still plays every Friday,
Farmer also represents the sweet sounds of old-school gospel music with The
Sensational Nightengales’ “At the Meeting”. Farmer
has a special way of bringing the listener right into the songs he sings.When he sings “Daddy Was Right”, it’s an
absolute heart-breaker.
This is definitely an album to keep an eye out for. I can’t get enough of it.
---
Take a listen to the album on Apple Music.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Click on the link below to purchase this terrific album from the PhillyCheeze Amazon Store.
The
Famous Mockingbird was the place to be for two stellar sets of
blues on Friday, February 15.It was a
sold-out show, and the excitement was surely in the air to see Danielle Nicole,
who was a 2019 Grammy Nominee for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Her band consisted of drummer Ralph Forrest,
and guitarist Brandon Miller, who will be returning to Famous Mockingbird
with his band in the near future.
The show led off with the smooth and buttery “Hot
Spell” from her latest album, Cry No More.Her luscious vocals and thumping bass sounded
absolutely fabulous.Other amazing cuts
from that album which landed in the first set were, “Lord I Can’t Keep From
Crying”, “Pusher Man”, “Burning For You”, and “My Heart Just Remains”. I loved her cover of Willie Dixon’s “I
Just Want to Make Love to You”, and Howlin’ Wolf’s “Spoonful”.She soulfully covered Lukas Nelson’s “Find
Yourself”, and closed the show with “Save Me” chockful of heavy riffs, and
wonderful guitar shredding from Miller.
