My Favorite 2014 Blues Albums
January-February 2015 by Steve Jones
2014 Crossroads Recap
tened to a lot of music in 2014, but I did not listen to every album released. I’m guessing I heard over 200 new CDs this year, but there are still some I missed. I did not include any of the really huge names out there. Actually, I would not have included them as they were not my favorites anyway! Everyone has their Top Ten Lists. I was going to try to identify the ten best 2014 blues albums, at least in my mind, but as I got into it the list grew to about 30 CDs and was getting bigger. So then I decided, “Why not break it down into categories?” So I broke down albums into ten different styles of blues. Some will be familiar to you, others I created as a matter of convenience. Hey, it’s my list, after all! No list is perfect and everyone’s list is different, so the big thing is to have fun. At least by covering different categories I might get something out there that most every blues fan might like. I lis-
Acoustic Blues. This is a tough category because there were some very outstanding records this year that I loved. I went back and forth on the ones I liked best, but I must say Steve Dawson’s Rattle Snake Cage was my favorite. Some honorable mentions include Jim Byrnes with St. Louis Times, Lisa Biales with Belle of the Blues and Eric Bibb’s recent release Blues People; they were also some of my favorites this past year but check out Steve Dawson; he is an amazing guitar player! Traditional/Chicago Blues. My favorite Chicago blues album is really in the soul blues category, but that then
cleared the way for me to recognize others for their great 2014 releases that topped my Traditional/ Chicago blues category. It was close but it was between Jim Liban with Joel Pattersona and Linsey Alexander; Liban’s I Say What I Mean topped my list nosing out Alexander’s Come Back Baby. Mississippi Heat and Warning Shot was right up there, too, as was Ronnie Earl’s Good News and Madison Slim’s self-released Close But No Cigar was also superb and it deserves mention on any 2014 list of great CDs. Sean Costello’s In The Magic Shop probably belongs in this category, too, and is another fine effort by a young man who left us too soon. Rock Blues. There is so much out there in this category now that finding one to top the list is near impossible. But the one that made my CD player the most and
Membership grew to about 200 members 20 continuous years of newsletter publication 11 BITS programs completed in 2014 making 134 total for over 40,000 students and the ir teachers ands school staffs Held the 2nd Annual Field of Blues Festival in June and the 6th Annual Crossroads Blues Festival in Lyran Park in August 12 monthly shows plus an extra 13th held at the Hope and Anchor for Saturday Night Blues Scheduled 10 blues acts to open Friday home games for the Rockford Ice Hogs 2014-2015 season Supporting Lyran Fish Fries on a monthly basis with blues acts Held benefit for Bob Levis Held 2nd Annual Crossroads Blues Challenge to send artists to IBCs Held many shows at Mary’s Place and at Leombruni’s; see inside
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2014 Crossroads Year in Review Issue Wow! The New Year is here and we are already having our first event on Friday, January 2nd. Inside this issue you can see many of the things we’ve got planned already for 2015. Monthly shows were held all year at the Hope and Anchor in Loves Park to great crowds. The Jimmy’s kicked it off, then Alex Wilson, Rev-
erend Raven, Bobby Messano, Tweed Funk, Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo, Dave Specter with the Birddog Blues Band, Toronzo Cannon, Nick Moss, The Cash Box Kings, the Jimmys and Bobby Messano with Dave Fields closed out the regular shows and then we continued on page 2
Inside this issue:
Lurrie Bell at H&A
News Music Reviews Playlist, Members Membership Application Upcoming Events
1-5, 17 6-16 17 18 18
Crossroads Blues Society Newsletter
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Top 2014 Blues Releases continued from page 1
The hottest one for me in 2014 in rocking blues was Solid Ground by Albert Castiglia. By far his best effort to date, this album really moved me. Tommy Castro with The Devil You Know impressed me as did Nick Moss with Time Ain’t Free. Jimmy Thackery, Walter Trout and Elvin Bishop also deserve notice for their new CDs, too; they are stalwarts of the genre who always produce great stuff. Joe Louis Walker’s latest is his best and also worthy to note. Soul Blues. Dave Specter and Message In Blue tops my list. Mixing Chicago blues and soul with jazzy influences, this was also my favorite record for 2014! Kudos to Dave along with soul man Otis Clay and Brother John for this superb album! Terry Hanck’s album was also great as was the collaboration between Otis Clay and Johnny Rawls, but Dave’s album with Otis Clay really was superb. West Coast and Swing Blues. The Mannish Boys probably top this category with Wrapped Up and Ready. Rod Piazza’s
2014 Was a Great Year continued from page 1
added Lurrie Bell for a superb extra show on 12/27! Our thanks go out to them for consistently allowing us to bring some of the best and brightest acts to the Rockford area. The Hope and Anchor shows have been well received and after they got started and with the great Fifth Annual Blues Festival at Lyran Park back on 8/23/14 the Lyran Society also asked us to do shows with them on Fridays during their Fish Fry. We had Brent Johnson coming in for a Friday Blues in the Schools program on 10/14 and so they did an evening show at the Lyran Club to test the waters. It was a huge success, so we began monthly shows in November with the New Savages and then in December we had Macyn Taylor and Dan Phelps each do a set with Justin “Boots” Gates sitting in with the two of them later in the night. Shows are currently planned through April and as the weather gets better in May or June we may move over to Lyran Park for these events! These have been a lot of fun! The Rockford Ice Hogs asked us to set up blues shows prior to Friday games. We report on that on page 4. The first four shows were huge successes there!
new CD also surprised me and is very listenable. Duke Robillard’s Calling All Blues! Is more east coast than west coast swing, but it swings, too, and certainly was one of the best in this area. Female Vocalist Blues. It does not have to be the well promoted and super produced stuff by BMA winners that trips my trigger. I enjoyed Liz Mandeville’s new CD Heart O Chicago better than any other album by a female vocalist. Sorry Janiva and Sena, but I really liked Liz’ album the best in this category. Male Vocalist Blues. This one was easier for me. We had him play at our Field of Blues Festival and he’s a great showman and artist. John Nemeth with Memphis Grease topped by male vocalist blues list with great vocals and sweet harp work. Up and Coming Blues. 2013 IBC winner Selwyn Birchwood with his new Alligator release tops this category for me. Don’t Call No Ambulance is a my fave, a fine album and showcases this up and coming artist spectacularly. Jarekus Singleton is another in this category with Refuse to Lose that I really enjoyed.
were especially spectacular. Brent Johnson’s Set the World on Fire grabbed me as did Josh Hoyer and the Shadowboxers initial record. I give the nod to Brent because I just listened to it more; I love both of these CDs, though, and they are very different stylistically. Re-Issued Blues and Cover Albums. There’s a category to think about. Some good re-releases this year in the blues world. Delmark’s Junior Wells Southside Blues Jam had to be the best, though. What a spectacular album! So was Set Me Free with Steve Freund and Gloria Hardiman, but Junior’s takes it. In Cover Albums, I enjoyed Mud Morganfield with Kim Wilson’s album For Pops. Kenny Wayne Shepherd also did Goin' Home which I enjoyed, but the tribute to Muddy was even better. I’m not usually a fan of albums of all covers, especially by major artists, but sometimes they are good and bear notice. Overall, Junior’s album was the best out of all of these. So that’s what I liked in 2014. There was a lot of great music produced and many of these new CDs belong in your collections. I really enjoyed Dave Specter’s new album above all others, so he gets the nod from me for top blues album of 2014!
Debut Artist Blues. Two CDs in this group The 2014 year kicked off on January 14th with BITS. Glenn Davis and Westside Andy Linderman did two school programs and an evening show at the Hope and Anchor. A benefit to help send Alex Wilson to the IBCs was held on 1-19 at the Carlson Post. Alex wound up in the semi-finals in Memphis the next week and we were proud of his effort; he lost to the eventual finals winner! We also did a bunch of shows at Mary’s Place in Rockford again in 2014. Ben Miller and his band played some bluesy bluegrass on 2-11 and then Brent Johnson and Anni Piper appeared there a week later. Jared James Nichols was there on March 31 and then a show with Terry Quiett and his band was held there on May 17th. A week later Luca Giordano and Quique Gomez did another show there. Our last 2014 CBS event there was August 13 with the great singer Candye Kane featuring Laura Chavez on guitar. Leombruni’s in Byron was home to many a show in 2014. Dan Phelps played there many times. March 1, April 5, May 31, July 25 and December 19 were the dates for his shows there. Luca and Quique did a duo show there the night before their Mary’s Place show. August 24 we had Stormcellar from Sydney in there, too. Dan helped out with a blues presentation there for the Byron Kiwanis as Steve Jones gave a PowerPoint presentation on October 21.
On June 22 we did a benefit to help Bob Levis get through his medical issues and loss of work. The Lyran Club was the location and we had a huge number of bands come out and play. Barstool Blues Band with Steve Ditzell, Scotty and the Bad Boys, the Basement Blues Band, New Savages, Lucky 3 Blues Band, Dave Weld and Monica Mhyre, Dave Specter and Barrrelhouse Chuck and then The Brooks Brothers with a special appearance by Lonnie Brooks made for a wonderful day!
Steve Ditzell at Marys Place
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January-February 2015 Our second annual Field of Blues Festival was held on June 28. Headlining was John Nemeth. Earlier in the day Doug Deming and the Jewel Tones with Dennis Gruenling, The Jimmy’s, Liz Mandeville and The Alex Wilson Band were featured on stage and Dan Phelps played between acts in the pavilion. What a great day of music with superb weather to boot! Brent Johnson made a quick visit on July 29 and we did a show in the Lyran Club with him. Four weeks later, our fifth annual Crossroads Blues Festival was moved from Byron to Lyran Park in Rockford on August 23 and despite the late move and then rain to start, it was still a huge success with over 1,000 in attendance. The day opened with Sydney Australia’s Stormcellar. Dave Weld and the Imperial Flames and then Reverend Raven and the Chain Smokin’ Altar Boys got to play without rain. The Westside Andy/Mel Ford Band with Barrelhouse Chuck were next and then Lurrie Bell and his band headlined the event! Justin “Boots” Gate played between acts in the pavilion. It was a very successful day! We mentioned BITS before with Glenn and Andy. Dan Phelps did BITS programs at Roosevelt Alternative School on 3-4 and 3-18. Brent did a couple of programs in in October as noted before and then Dan did three programs on November 25. In all, we did 11 programs for just over 2,000 students in 2014 making 134 programs since inception in May 2002. Almost 41,000 students have attended these programs!
events and festivals through the year. Rich and Monica Gordon’s retirement Party at Mary’s Place with his band the Basement Blues Band was in June and a lot of fun as was Steve Ditzell’s Memorial to his wife Maggie in October, also at Mary’s. Business-wise, having monthly board meetings at Mark Pack on the second Tuesday of eac month has really allowed the Board to work effectively at running the Society’s business and to work as a team. Thanks to Terry Keller for use of his board room! We switched to professional printing for the bi-monthly newsletter. The 12 page print edition is now done booklet style and looks really great. The emailed PDF version is even cooler, totaling as many as 24 pages and all in full color!
Rick Davis with Anni Piper at Mary’s Place
Our 10th Annual Christmas and Channukah Party was held at Hope and Anchor as part of the regular December show. In addition to Bobby Messano and Dave Fields, the annual record exchange was a blast and a huge success, too! The biggest news of 2014 (really announced in 2013 but received in 2014) was received the Keeping the Blues Alive Award for Affiliates of the Blues Foundation during the IBCs in Memphis in January. This was a huge honor. Then we found out we were inducted in the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame and went to a ceremony at Buddy Guy’s Legends in June where Steve Jones also was entered into the HOF as a Journalist for Blues Blast Magazine.
Our 2014 Crossroads Blues Challenge was help in October. Jimmy Nick and Don’t Tell Momma won the band competition and Dan Phelps won the solo/duo event. Macyn Taylor was selected as our Youth Showcase representative and Dan Phelps new CD Goin’ Home was nominated as best self produced CD. Jimmy and Macyn had paperwork issues that prevented competing but Dan will Wilson Bros. at Benefit Show represent us and the December benefit for him at Carlson Post with he and Jimmy’s band raised over $600 to help defray costs. We helped promote a lot of other
Receiving KBA in Memphis
We celebrated our 20th anniversary and this was our best year ever; we were very busy and were recognized for our work! Thanks to all who helped make 2014 a spectacular year for Crossroads!
Dan Phelps at Leombruni’s
Bob Levis Benefit with Brooks Familyat the Lyran Club
Crossroads Blues Society Newsletter
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Friday Night Blues Heat Up the Metrocenter The 2014-2015 Ice Hogs Hockey games are well underway and the blues have been playing there prior to each Friday home game! 4 blues shows have already been held there and 6 more remain for the season.
Justin “Boots” Gates
Justin “Boots” Gates opened the Blue Flame Lounge on November 14th and the 14 year old electrified the crowd! Ron Holm then played a week later on the 21st and then Dan Phelps appeared there the next week on the 28th. Most recently, Recently Paroled put on a great show on the evening after Christmas Day! Next up will be the three January Friday events. Tblues rocking New Savages are on 1/9, the hot new Collins Grayless Band are on 1/16, and The Hoodoo Rhythm Kings play on 1/30. There are no Friday home games in February. 3/6 will feature Macyn Taylor on guitar and vocals. Dan Phelps play s the first April gig on 4/3 and the Blues Hawks will appear prior to the final Friday home game on 4/17. It is exciting working with the Ice Hogs and the Metrocenter to to bring blues to the Blue Flame Lounge prior to Friday home games. They open at 5 PM and the music starts right after that! They have a nice assortment of beverages available for sale and they offer free appetizers to those in the Lounge! Come on out for great blues and great hockey with Crossroads Blues Society and the Rockford Ice Hogs!
Recently Parolled
January-February 2015
Page 5 John Nemeth at Field of lLues Festival
Blues HOF Induction at Legends
Toronzo Cannon at Hope and Anchor
Laura Chavez and Candye Kane at Mary’s Place
Brent Johnson at Lyran Club
Gag Record Exchange at Christmas Party
Lurrie Bell at CBF at Lyran Park
Crossroads Blues Society Newsletter
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Music Reviews Close But No Cigar Madison Slim Self-Released slimcigar@yahoo.com 13 tracks Mark Koenig, AKA Madison Slim, is a harp player many blues fans from the Midwest know and now Florida’s west coast are becoming familiar with. Many more fans should be aware of this fine musician and perhaps this initial album produced with him fronting a fabulous band will propel him into a larger spot light! His experience in the blues began in the 1970’s in Chicago with blues greats like Jimmy Rogers. Big Walter Horton was a major influence on Slim as he honed his craft and became a harp great of his own accord. He’s played with Sam Lay and also as part of the Legendary Blues Band. He met up with and played with Reverend Raven and the two became based in Wisconsin and toured and recorded together before semi-retiring and moving to Bradenton, Florida where instead of retiring he now plays with a number of great bands, including Doug Deming and the Jewel Tones. The musicians here are all masters of the Chicago blues sound. Billy Flynn and Doug Deming provide the guitar work and Barrelhouse Chuck is on piano for Slim. Terry Hanck also appears on sax. Doug Deming’s Jewel Tones backline of Andrew Gohman on bass (upright and electric) and Devin Neel on drums round out a truly sweet sound that provides a back drop for this fine harp master. Doug and his band are one of the hot acts in the blues world and Billy, Chuck and Terry add a who'swho level of authenticity and musicality to the project. The festivities begin with Eddie Taylor’s “Big Town Playboy.” This opening cut drips with greasy hot harmonica and guitar licks. Slim’s vocals are authentic Chicago blues, too, and he sets the table nicely for a great set of tunes. He begins the next cut with a shout out of the title, “Bread Maker Baby,” a great Slim Harpo number. It’s a “rhumba sorta numba” and Slim wails on his harp as the boys in the band lay out a slick groove. Billy Boy Arnold’s “Kissing at Midnight” follows as Slim moans out the lead vocals before
laying out some more slick harp. Deming and Flynn provide a cool guitar groove as Slim adds some echo to his harp for a nice effect. “Would You Baby” is a slick Willies tune, the Willies Mabon and Dixon. Slim makes his statements and pleas to his woman and Chuck plays some altogether sick piano while Hanck lays a little cool sax. The two intertwine the piano and sax into a sweet set of solos. Nicely done! Muddy’s “I Got to Find My Baby” is next and Slim gives us another minimalistic yet cool vocal and then lays into the harp with gusto. Chuck then fills with a sweet piano solo before Slim returns with the vocals and finishes with more slick harp.
closes the tune out with his horn again. “Blue Coat Man” gives us some swinging guitar piano work as Slim sings on this Eddie Boyd tune. Swinging fun in just two fifty one (2:51)! “Wild Cat Tamer” is a New York sort of blues. Tarheel Slim (who wrote the tune) landed in NYC from North Carolina (Allen Bunn) as part of the band The Larks. After they broke up he used NY as a home and wrote this and other rockabilly blues stuff. Slims and the Boys do the tune justice as they rock it out together with some especially fine guitar work. Things close with “Florida Blues,” a slow instrumental blues written by Slim. He wails and cries on the harp as Chuck’s piano tears tinkle down the song’s proverbial cheeks. Thoughtful guitar tones fill in the spaces as this Sunshine State blues really sounds like something out of the Southside of Chicago. It’s a special piece and they pull it off well. It makes me want even more original Madison Slim songs!
“Stockyard Blues” is a great little Floyd Jones tune that Slim is just all over. He convincingly pleads that he “needs to earn a dollar” and squeaks out some high end stuff on the harp that makes the hair on your neck stand up. Chuck again flavors the pot nicely with his piano work- killer stuff. “New Leaf” is a Jimmy Reed number I thoroughly enjoyed this CD. Madison that Slim also kills. They have a little more Slim and his supporters all have turned in guitar up front here, but it’s Slim’s show stellar performances. This is a fine CD and he steals it back with his great harp. showcasing a harp player who is deservJimmy Roger’s “If It Ain’t Me” is more ing of recognition for his mastery of his great Slim and Chuck stuff while the rest craft. I urge you to pick up a copy of this of the band fills in sweetly. Milwaukee CD- you will not be disappointed and it will harp master Jim Liban wrote the title cut leave you wanting for more! Highly recomand Slim pays homage to another great mended! Available directly from Slim at Wisconsin harp great with this cover. He’s slimcigar@yahoo.com. quite sultry on the vocal delivery and then lays into some harp as the band lays out a Reviewed by Steve Jones nice groove. There is plenty of harp here in this cut to satisfy even the biggest harmonica apNick Moss and Michael Ledbetter at Hope and Anchor petites and Madison Slim is up for the delivery! We hit New Orleans next with Fats Domino’s “Let the Four Winds Blow” as Slim sings for us and Hanck blows his horn sweetly. The boys rock out a bit as they back Slim and then Terry
January-February 2015 Cryin’ Mercy Altered Five Blues Band Omnivibe Records www.alteredfive.com www.omniviberecords.com 11 tracks/43 minutes Altered Five is a slick quintet from Milwaukee comprised of Jeff Taylor on vocals, Jeff Schroedl on guitar, Mark Solveson on bass, Sott Schroedl on drums and Raymond Tevich on keyboards. Tom Hambridge produced this album, their third CD effort and featuring all original material. This album really highlights their great sound and talents. “Demon Woman” kicks things off with gutsy vocals by Taylor and stinging guitar by Schroedl. I loved the cut and it is a great way to open the album! “I’m In Deep” also features some hot stuff by Taylor and Schroedl and also puts Tevich up front for us to appreciate. His solos play a huge part in making this tune special. They slow down for a cool ballad entitled “Find My Wings,” where Taylor testifies to us sweetly. The organ is the base support for this cut, with Taylor’s vocals and some guitar layered on to savor. “Stay Outta My Business” has Taylor telling his woman in no uncertain terms that he needs his independence. Schroedl punctuates Taylors’ words with an emphatic guitar solo that helps gets the point across. Getting burned in the affairs of love is the theme of “Counterfeit Lover.” Taylor’s vocals build for emphasis as does Schroedl’s guitar along with Tevich’s organ. Taylor sings of his woman’s material possessions but states, “You got everything, but Baby, I got you” in “I Got You.” Taylor howls, “Who’s Your Lover” to his cheatin’ woman in a driving tune. “Move House” is mean, slow blues of the best sort. Schroedl picks out a dirty opening and then Taylor uses a host of cool but not so subtle double entendres to tell what he wants to do with his woman. Shroedl is powerful throughout on guitar. “Here’s Your Hat, What’s Your Hurry?” is a driving cut with the organ and guitar leading the charge and Taylor singing of the up and down of a relationship where he gets the last word. Nice work again by Schroedl
Page 7 here. “Urgent Care” relates how Taylor needs some medical help after his woman has left him in need of help and not in a good way. Tevich and Schroedl are a huge part of this and Solveson sneaks in a cool bass line throughout. They close with “Back Button,” where Taylor tells us taking chances and living on the edge can have some great results but sometimes he needs a back button to reset his life to get out of the bigger messes. Great solos again by the organ and guitar. The boys do a neat little call and response of “Reset! Reset!” to Taylor’s laments. A fine closer for a an overall fine album! I was very impressed with this album and all the songs presented. Altered Five is a popular band here in the Midwest and hopefully this album will let the rest of the country and world take notice! I really enjoyed listening to this over and over and I am sure blues fans who like their music hot and soulful with a little R&B thrown in will, too! Taylor’s vocals are super, Shroedl is an outstanding guitar player, Tevich’s organ work is excellent and the backline keeps it all together. There is nothing not to like here- go buy this album now- you won’t regret it! Reviewed by Steve Jones Heavy Water Fo’Reel Fo’ReelBand www.foreelband.com 11 Tracks First of all, there is great artwork on the front of this CD. I love the bear! I also love the music. This is not a Chicago blues album. It combines blues/funk/r&b with a special dash of New Orleans to create a fine musical gumbo. Guitarist Mark Domizio is the band leader and project creator. He has played with many New Orleans greats such as Henry Gray, Bryan Lee and Wolfman Washington. C.P. Love is a long time New Orleans soul singing legend. Johnny Neel has made music with The Allman Brothers, Lonnie Mack, Govt. Mule and Dickie Betts. His songs have been covered by many blues artists. He has recorded over a half dozen albums of his own. He is a keyboard man in demand. David Hyde played bass on the CD, although David
Barard (Dr. John) is the touring bassist. Many cuts have a full horn section playing on them. Eight songs are originals. This CD opens with C.P. Love on vocals on the classic “Breaking Up Somebody’s Home”. Johnny Neel sets a fine funk groove on keyboards and organ. The song is supported by baritone sax, tenor sax and trumpet. It drips of southern blues and soul. The title cut “Heavy Water” is another soul/blues style song with Love on vocals. The 3rd cut is “Leave Your Love Alone”. This song hints at TBone Walker in a danceable way. “Blues” is a blues song with B.B. King and Memphis styling. It is a medium paced song with Rick Lawson on vocals with the guitar from Domizio right out front. “Gate” is one of the finer songs on the CD. It is an instrumental dedicated to Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown. The guitars, the horns and the keyboards make it special. A Latin tinge comes with Santana seasoning comes through on “What I Can Do”. Love handles the vocals, congas, and washboard on this one. Up next is back to back Luther Allison tunes. The first is the blues funk tune “What’s Going On In My Home”. There are some great wah-wah effects on this one. The second Allison song takes us back to church with some great organ support. “Just As I Am” is a slow organ dominated number that really works with Love on vocals. Rick Lawson returns to vocals on the next 2 tracks. “Shake N Bake” strays further into funk and away from the blues than any of the other tracks. The song does make it hard to sit still. The horn section really shines on this one. “Outside Love” is quite a blues number. Fine guitar work is provided by Domizio and Neel on keyboards/organ is fantastic. The CD closes out with the instrumental “Tater”. Jon Smith provides some great sax work on this one. Daryl Burgess on drums gets to stretch out a bit too. Overall this is a fine CD, worth owning and listening to time and time again. I hope to hear this band one day soon. Reviewed by Mark Nelson
January-February 2015
Page 8 In The Magic Shop Sean Costello Vizz Tone Label Group seancostellofund.org vizztone.com 12 tracks/46 minutes April 15th is not a great day. Oh, yes, Income Taxes are due then but that is not why I note the date. It is the day that a young and bright star of the blues left us. Sean Costello was on the eve of his 29th birthday when an accidental overdose took him from his family and us only a week after beginning an alcohol addiction program and being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Enveloped in depression, he had difficulty sleeping and told a friend he was taking something to help him sleep that fateful night. A shy and unassuming soul, Sean was also a premier blues guitar player, singer and songwriter. His family keeps his memory alive through the Sean Costello Memorial Fund for BiPolar Research and we can remember him through his music. This CD, recorded in Fall of 2005 and finally mixed this past Spring at the Magic Shop in New York City, was produced by Steve Rosenthal, engineered by Will Berlind and mastered by Jessica Thompson. It is sold as a fund raiser for Sean’s fund which is cause enough to buy one (as I did). But even more so, it is a superb CD worth adding to any blues lovers’ collection. Costello begins with a soulful BB King tune- “It’s My Own Fault.” The stark guitar sound is sad and lonely. The band fills in thoughtfully as Costello bears his blues soul on his fret board. This is an instrumental for over three and a half minutes before Sean begins signing; it is masterfully done and is worth the price of the CD alone. Costello grits out the vocal lines in the last minute and then closes out the beginning of a great CD. His own “Can’t Let Go” follows. Brian Jackson adds Wurlitzer and synthesizer and backing vocals were added to fill out the funky tune as Costello growls out the lead. A bouncy guitar line and beat complement each other as Sean sings of the love he can’t let go of. “Hard Luck Woman,” another original, follows. Costello’s guitar and Linden’s harp grind it out for us in this danceable and catchy cut. He takes it down a notch as Costello goes acoustic in a very Elvis style and Costello tells his lover to “Trust in Me.” Beautifully done! An old tune first recorded by Mildred Bailey in 1937, it was a small B-side hit for Eddie Fisher and then Louis Jordan (both in 1951) and then was revived by Etta James in 1961. This is a fantastic
version! “Feel Like I Ain’t Got A Home” is an original where Costello lays it out on this this song made for driving with the top down and playing music loud. The music must be this song- I could blast this out and enjoy it any day while driving around! Fenton Robinson’s “You Don’t Know What Love Is” is next with some deep blues and then Bobby Womack’s “Check It Out” follows that, a soul-filled and soulful number where Costello shows us more of what he’s made of. What fine covers! He then stays soulful with “I Went Wrong,” an original blues with stinging guitar and a great set of lyrics.
perform here and there, too, but the foursome of Costello and these three comprise the main band. It took Rosenthal six years to get the gumption up to play these recordings again and then by Summer 2014 he had recompiled and re-created this masterful recording. Half new and half fine covers, this album gives us but a glimpse of what we’ve missed with the loss of this fine musician. Please add this recording to your collection. You will be glad you did and it also helps fund bi-polar research which hopefully will prevent this disease from consuming more fine humans like Sean. Reviewed by Steve Jones
Rod Stewart? Why not? “You Wear It Well” adds Jim Zhivago on the 12string National and Costello and the band gut out a really nice bluesy rendition. “Told Me A Lie” is some breathy and tasty slow blues while “Make A Move” is a bit funky. Both originals, they show Costello’s diversity as a song writer and performer. He closes with “Fool’s Paradise,” the Johnny Fuller song. The lyrics are now almost eerie, with Costello hauntingly singing and playing. I can say it no better than the song itself. He sings: I often think of the life I've led And oh, it's a wonder, I ain't dead Drinking and gambling, staying out all night Living is a fool's paradise My mother told me and my father told me too Said my child, it's all catch up with you Drinking and gambling, staying out all night Living in a fool's paradise Though I've learned my lesson Like all fools I've met Oh, I've learned things in this life That I haven't forgotten yet My father told me, my mother said it right Said my son, you're ruining your life Drinking and gambling, staying out all night Living in a fool's paradise Oh yeah, living in a fool's paradise
Joining Costello on this recording are Paul Linden on B3, harp and keys, Melvin Zachery on bass and Ray Hangen on drums. A few others
Dave Specter at Hope & Anchor
Tweed Funk at Hope & Anchor
January-February 2015 HeartSoulBlood Royal Southern Brotherhood Ruf Records www.rufrecords.de 12 Tracks Royal Southern Brotherhood formed in 2011 and released their debut album in 2012. With the all-star lineup starting with the long time musical bloodlines of Allman (Devon Allman) and Neville (Cyril Neville) they join forces with St. Louis guitarist, singer, producer, and songwriter Mike Zeto to form the songwriting core of the group. Individually, Royal Southern Brotherhood is powered by Cyril Neville on vocals and percussion, Devon Allman on vocals and guitar, Mike Zeto on electric and acoustic guitars along with vocals, Charlie Wooton on bass and backup vocals, and Yonrico Scott on drums and backup vocals. Cyril Neville, Devon Allman, Charlie Wooton and Yonrico Scott collectively possess a special chemistry together and working with producer Jim Gaines, have released their new album HeartSoulBlood. Each member brings to the group a special talent, musicianship, and many years of experience. The opening tune on HeartSoulBlood kicks things into gear with the supercharged tune "World Blues," delivering the thundering percussion of Cyril Neville and Yonrico Scott, the hip-shakin' bass of Charlie Wooton, the stinging slide guitar of Mike Zeto paired with the fiery guitar of Devon Allman, and raw lead vocals of Allman and Zeto. The next tune "Rock And Roll" shakes the earth with the lead vocals of Cyril Neville much like a revival of the Southern rock vocals of Danny Joe Brown and the group Molly Hatchet, reminding us of those famous words "The South is Gonna Do It (Again)." They then slip into electrified soulful numbers "Groove On" and later in the album "Callous" with both Zeto and Allman trading guitar licks matching the raw vocals of Allman. Charlie Wooton starts things out on "Here It Is" with some funky, penetrating bass, which sets the stage for the entire song. They return back to some dark Southern rock with the song "Ritual." The band slow things down with Allman displaying his deeply soulful vocals with "Shouda Known." They return to that slow funky base groove with "Let's Ride." Trapped" once again brings Allman center stage with his vocals supporting heavy rhythm guitar and distant lead guitar solos. "She's My Lady" is a mellow R&B
Page 9 tune with good harmonizing, anchored by a solid rhythm section. "Takes A Village" is a mournful almost spiritual ballad. They finish with the up-tempo tune "Love And Peace," harmonizing once again in support of rock guitar leads and a hint of Calypso music. It is obvious from this their third CD HeartSoulBlood, that this group has formed a brotherhood of musical experience, keeping the heart and soul of Southern rock, soul, and blues alive. The combined talent of Royal Southern Brotherhood has formed one of the most unified groups in the blues world. Review by Rick Davis Head For The Hills Markus James Firenze Records www.firenzerecords.com/ 16 Tracks Markus is an interesting musician. Growing up in the Washington DC area, he played in some rock bands. His love and appreciation grew for African music. He made several recordings with Malian musicians over the years and traveled to that area. His previous 7 recordings featured his guitar and other stringed instruments from Africa. Here comes a riveting new CD of Hill Country blues from Markus James. Recorded as a duo with 5 different drummers, (including Kinney Kimbrough, Jr.’s son) the CD hits hard at the North Mississippi hard raw blues with guitar and drum, but also plays homage to the acoustic and African roots of the music. He plays many stringed instruments to accompany the drummers. This raw gritty original music is a direct relative of the African infected music he has been recording. James wrote all but 1 of the songs on the CD. The CD opens with “Just Say Yes”. This is Hill Country music, likening to North Mississippi All Stars. It gets the music roaring. Next out of the gate is a RL Burnside tune called “Goin’ Down South” which I recall from his Too Bad Jim recording on Fat Possum. He puts his mark on it, without messing with RL’s original tune. “Head For The Hills (Acoustic)”, the title cut, pulls from the music of Mali and blends it with the Hill Country blues for a pleasing acoustic sound. The speakers bounce off of the wall with “Shake”. This draws from the Lightnin’ Malcom blast and
boogie style. Calvin Johnson beats the drums and James adds a bit of harmonica. I like “Suit Of Golden Clothes’. There is a steady beat, and good guitar play. The music slows a bit for the tune “For Blind Willie”. It seems to be in the swamp, and makes a nice instrumental piece. An almost Bo Diddley paced drum beat, carries the next tune. “Gone Like Tomorrow” is for listening, not dancing, which is fine. Fine guitar work highlights “Fallin' From The Sky”. It’s a bit darker than much of the CD, but very enjoyable. It took a couple of listens to get the feel of “Nimo”. The song has a good feel, but the pace seemed a bit muddled to my ear. Cut 10 is “Head For The Hills”. It is a faster version of the 3rd cut. James plows his guitar through this one. The African influences come through on “On A Mississippi Porch”. James gives it some nice acoustic slide work. “Sleepyhead” has a slower simple acoustic feel. The instrumental track could easily add some lyrics to make a lullaby for a child. I so like the next cut. “Candyland Refugee” combines the great guitar work, with a nice set of percussion work. It mixes in a bit of the African feel also. A straight ahead, and true to its name cut is “Diddley Bow and Buckets”. The song is simple, and gives a feel for the Diddley Bow. Nothing is complex here, though they could have spiced it up a bit. I hear some Cream and “Crossroads” and Rolling Stones “Sympathy for The Devil” mixed into “Woke Me”. These were the roots of that music, so it is fitting for this fine track. On “Green” James is accompanied by birds and other outside sounds. An acoustic instrumental track seems a fitting close to this CD. Overall, this is a bit different than most blues CDs. James gathers many influences, and provides an entertaining CD. It’s got a lot of listening in it, some dancing, and a pretty good history lesson of the roots of the music. I am a Mali music fan, so the African influences were enjoyable for me. The Mississippi Hill country music is enjoyable too. They may not be for all of you, but give this a try, you might just like it. Reviewed by Mark Nelson
Crossroads Blues Society Newsletter
Page 10 Songs From The Road Coco Montoya Ruf Records www.rufrecords.de 14 Tracks Songs From The Road is a pair of premier live shows, giving the audience a front row seat to two of Coco Montoya's best performances. The album is live music performed by a legendary blues artist who was once a protégé of the "ice man" himself, Albert Collins. These particular live shows were two of his best recorded at Triple Door in Seattle in 2013. Coco Montoya was on vocals and guitar, Brant Leeper on vocals and keyboards, Nathan Brown on bass, and Rena Beavers also on vocals and drums, with Jim Gaines in charge of the production of the two classic performances. Coco opens with that same stinging guitar style that we all identify with Albert Collins, as he pays tribute to the "ice man" with "I Got A Mind To Travel," the title track to his 1995 release. With Collins deeply entrenched in his tone and sustain, Montoya explodes into the Carl G. Green/Edward Curtis Williams tune "Hey Senorita." He does a spectacular job on the soulful ballad "Too Much Water," one of two songs cowritten with Doug MacLeod. Relax for a smooth performance of Smokey Robinson's tune "The One Who Really Loves You," a song topping the charts in the 60s by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles and Mary Wells. With his Collins style guitar once again, he burns up the fret board with his own blues tune "Love Jail." He changes to a seamless funky groove on the Paul Barrere(Little Feat) /Coco Montoya tune "Don’t Go Making Plans," with heavy base lines from Nathan Brown and a spellbinding keyboard performance by Brant Leeper. Montoya take center stage with his powerful vocals and blazing guitar solos on the Greenberg/Nicholson/ Wilson Jr. song "I Wish I Could Be That Strong," completing a sensational show and recorded CD. For the second live CD, Montoya co-writes four of the tunes with guitarist and song writer David R. Steen. The band opens with their version of the Brown/Lewis/ Robinson tune "Fannie Mae," first hitting the charts in 1959 by American blues and R&B singer Buster Brown. On the Aldridge/ Jarrad/Nicholson tune "Good Days, Bad Days," Montoya, Brown, and Leeper share the spotlight on an earlier song, released on the Coco Montoya album Suspicion. The studio version was a great slow, simmering blues tune but the live version is simply a masterpiece, featuring Brant Leeper on keyboards, Nathan Brown on
bass, and Coco on guitar and vocals. The next hot tune "I Need Your Love In My Life," the first of the series of tunes written by Montoya/Steen, also from the album Suspicion, allows Coco Montoya to tear it up on guitar. "I Want It All Back," the second Montoya/Steen tune, is a fiery R&B song which is the title track on his 2010 release. That is followed by the third Montoya/Steen tune, "I Won't Beg," from the 2006 album Can't Look Back, with Montoya captivating the audience with his guitar performance and vocals. The band unleashes its fury on the high powered shuffle "My Side of the Fence," included on the 2005 release Just Let Go, which is the last tune written by Montoya/Steen on this CD. Montoya plays like a guitar slinger possessed. They conclude the second set with "You'd Think I'd Know Better By Now," the second written by Coco Montoya and Doug MacLeod, which is the title track on the 1996 release. Once again Brant Leeper takes center stage on keyboards and with Coco this time on slide guitar. The song selection on these live performances is superb and they hit this one out of the park with this two disc set. As mentioned earlier, this is Coco Montoya at his best! Reviewed by Rick Davis Extra Jimmies Jimmy Thackery Blind Pig Records www.blindpigrecords.com 13 Tracks Jimmy Thackery was one of the co-founders of The Nighthawks along with Mark Wenner in 1972. The group went on to record over twenty albums and still tours today. By 1974, the original quartet with Wenner and Thackery was well established with Jan Zukowski on bass and Pete Ragusa on drums. They established an extensive touring route and opened for legends like Muddy Waters, James Cotton, and Carl Perkins and recorded with John Hammond and Pinetop Perkins. In 1986, Thackery left the band to pursue a solo career only to tour with another sixpiece rock and roll, R&B, and blues band, Jimmy Thackery and the Assassins in order to gain name recognition, since Thackery was a well established blues artist. Also appearing on the albums No Previous Record (1986) and Partners In Crime (1987) was another legendary guitar slinger who has enjoyed a long solo career by the name of Tom Principato. By this time the
group had become simply The Assassins. Later in 1989, the group came out with third album Cut Me Loose without Principato. These recording sessions and road tours lasted only a short time for Thackery. He has since established himself a world renowned blues guitar player with his own band Jimmy Thackery and The Drivers. During his 14 year tenure with The Nighthawks, he got the reputation for being one of the most innovative guitar players in the business, which still holds true today. His extensive solo career features live performances stretching across the United States with 22 albums to his credit. His latest project is a compilation Extra Jimmies created by Blind Pig Records that reaches deep into the blues vault to resurrect tunes from albums now out of print. Starting with his 1998 album Switching Gears is the ever popular original tune "Write If You Find Love." Other original songs from that early album include original tunes "I Got To Be Strong," "Take Me With You When You Go," with Chubby Carrier on accordion, "I Wouldn't Change A Thing," with Reba Russell on background vocals, and "Monkey." From the 1995 live album Wild Night Out, Blind Pig has included the Jules Bihari and Riley B. King tune "You Upset Me Baby" and "Flyin' Low" written by Swain Schaefer and Keith Sykes. Original tunes selected from that 1995 live album are "Trouble Man" and "Empty Arms Motel." The third out of print 1992 album Empty Arms Motel was chosen for this premier compilation and continues to demonstrate just how accomplished and versatile Jimmy Thackery is on guitar. The first tune from the 1992 album is the Stevie Ray Vaughan instrumental "Rude Mood" done with that same fluid guitar style. The next song was a George "Wild Child" Butler tune "Lickin' Gravy" done with a lot more fire on guitar. Next from the track listing is the Keith Sykes number "Love To Ride." Completing the collection from the vault of this 1992 studio album is the Lowell Fulson and Ferdinand Washington tune "Honey Hush." For those not familiar with blues guitarist extraordinaire Jimmy Thackery, Extra Jimmies is a good way to get acquainted with his unequaled guitar competence. If you are a long time fan, it is time to blow the dust off some of those early Jimmy Thackery and The Drivers CDs and spin those classic discs once again. Better yet, just add Extra Jimmies to your collection to rekindle those familiar gritty vocals and that superb guitar style. Reviewed by Rick Davis
January-February 2015 Anthology Too Slim And The Taildraggers Underworld Records http://www.tooslim.org 34 Tracks Too Slim and The Taildraggers made their debut in 1986 in Spokane, Washington with one goal in mind. Tim "Too Slim" Langford with his Taildraggers hit the road destined to make their mark in the blues world and deliver the blues to their West Coast fans. After 28 years, numerous live shows, and 18 albums, Too Slim and The Taildraggers are firmly anchored in the blues chronicles. Over time, Tim "Too Slim" Langford and his band have paid their dues, which account for numerous awards including Best Band, Best Guitarist, Best Album, and the Hall of Fame and Lifetime Achievement Awards from The Washington Blues Society, The Cascade Blues Society, and The Inland Empire Blues Society. After the release of Shiver in 2011, the band relocated to Nashville, Tennessee and hooked up with producer Tom Hambridge to record their latest studio album Blue Heart last year, which reached number three on the Billboard Top Blues Album Chart. As a special treat to blues fans, they just released a massive 34 track library titled Too Slim and The Taildraggers Anthology with some of their finest work to date, hand picked from fifteen years of blues song writing. The band features Tim Langford on vocals and guitar, Tom Hambridge on drums and backing vocals, Bob Britt on guitar, Tommy MacDonald on bass, and Jon Coleman on keyboards. The entire collection is either written or co-written by Tim Langford along with Tom Hambridge on two tunes and Texas blues artist Jim Schuler on another. If the high powered blues-rocker "Wishing Well" doesn't give you swamp fever, the next slide guitar chart topper "Mississippi Moon" is bound to send a "chill down your spine" as you are chased through the swamp with "hell hounds" on your trail. Hop aboard the "Last Train" to get a sample of Langford's stinging guitar solos and gritty vocals as he travels down the tracks to the next stop, this time giving his listeners a jolt of high energy slide guitar and a down home Delta introduction with the tune "Stoned Again." The next tune from the new release Blue Heart, "Wash My Hands," will rattle your bones with a little more hard driving Louisiana style slide guitar. You can "wash your hands in the
Page 11 "muddy Mississippi" before you enter the magical world of "The Fortune Teller." As you leave the world of voodoo, get ready for some explosive, Memphis style, roadhouse blues as you check into the "Little Gun Motel." Just when you thought is was safe, the band hits you with some deep, dark, dirty blues, performing the second tune from his 2013 release Blue Heart, "When Whiskey Was My Friend." With backing vocals, Langford's whiskey soaked lead vocals, and blistering guitar solos, you can take his hand and try your luck as you "Walk On Water." The band slows things down a bit with some advice about "Givers and Takers." This countryblues rocker tells you of his story with the ballad "Cowboy Boot," just before you pack up the stuff and leave the city for "Mexico," adding some steel drums for a change of pace. "When You Love Somebody" takes you on a journey to rock and roll paradise with a hard driving rhythm section and powerful backup vocals. "Devil In a Doublewide" lights a fire in your soul much like a Southern rock classic by Charlie Daniels. Good ole foot stompin' music continues with the slide guitar, blues-rock song "Been Through Hell." Langford takes you for a sunny afternoon fishing trek with his swamp-rock blues tune "Wish I Was Fishin'." Too Slim and The Taildraggers complete the disc one collection with the tongue-in-cheek cut "She Sees Ghosts," blending rock and blues with a powerful horn section. If you can survive the fire and thunder of the opening disc, stay tuned for round two, as the band brings guest artists aboard for second disc. Jon Coleman sets the stage with his Wurlitzer on the rock-gospel tune "Everybody's Got Something," introducing their first guest artist Curtis Salgado and his soulful vocals energized with Langford's electric magic and a gospel choral group. They follow up with the title track "Blue Heart," from Langford's 2013 release. Langford reminds us of the plight of our nation with the acoustic tune "Shaking A Cup." "Daddies Bones" tells of complicated family scenario from the past. The disc continues with the haunting slide guitar instrumental La Llorona, reminiscent of the slide guitar of Blind Willie Johnson. They bring Jon Coleman center stage once again
for the slow ballad "Inside Of Me." Guest Jimmy Hall takes over the vocals on the fiery guitar blues tune "Good To See You Smile Again." "Dollar Girl" tells the tale of a night with an exotic dancer and the fantasy she provides. Langford continues the second CD with the two slow, easy acoustic numbers "Three Chords" and "Lonesome Alone." He continues with that same subdued style using electric guitar on tunes "Big Ole House" and the up tempo "Peace With The Maker." "Throw Me A Rope" is a heartfelt soulful tune with gospel sounding backup singers adding much to the tune. The band adds another dimension to this gospel-rock style with the strong vocals of guest Lauren Evans singing the song "The Light." The band inserts a surprise number with the smooth jazz instrumental "Too Cool." They follow up with two more instrumentals and complete the Anthology with "Bucerius" and "Princeville Serenade." His Anthology touches all the musical facets of his extensive career. From the depths of their blues, soul, rock, and swamp blues, they run the entire gamut on this monumental collection. Reviewed by Rick Davis
Bobby Messano and Dave Fields at H&A
Jimmys at Hope & Anchor
Crossroads Blues Society Newsletter
Page 12 100% Pure Sauce Boss Burning Disk, Inc/ Peckerwood Publishing (Self-Released) sauceboss.com 12 tracks Sauce Boss is Bill Wharton, a mostly one man band who mixes true life into his songs. It’s perhaps an odd life as evidenced by some of the material in the songs, but interesting none the less! Hailing from the Motor City, Wharton wails on his guitar and lays out the lyrics with abandon. “Zipper Bird” opens the set. See? I told you. Guess what that one is about! There is a nice groove that he lays out as he sings a migratory story. “Marquis De Swamp” is a crazy and wild slide ride on his guitar. His crazed vocals are only topped by the spaced out guitar. More blatant innuendos fill the song as Wharton moans and laughs like a madman. “Gonna Be All Right” hearkens to better times as the dark is before the dawn, but Wharton has hope as he repeatedly screams out the title as chorus to the tune. “Chains” is not the pleasant Beatle’s number but a tune about how love is a double edged sword and we hold down the ones we love. It’s always good to take relationships to this high level. “Delta 9 Blues” tells us a little THC not only helps pain and glaucoma but also clears the mind. An odd, throbbing beat and groove just makes this more out there. “Peckerwood” ends the first half of this set of tunes and while I am half way through I was probably more lost that when I started. It’s a funky tune about a town that is out there with grass all colors of the rainbow. Great groove! Next up is “Chicago Combat Zone” where Wharton hearkens back to his early youth on the South Side where his Dad was beaten with a black jack when Wharton was just 3 years old. They moved, but Wharton still reflects about the town with over 2,000 shootings per year. He’s going back but leaving his gun home because they don’t need any more in that combat zone. “Cadillac of a Woman” is a beautiful country blues slide piece with whacked out lyrics about the Virgin Mary. He sings that, “she’s a diamond deluxe, a Cadillac of a Woman.” Yes, it’s weird. “Hey Wilbur” is a rocking little number. It goes down from there in a twisted call and response sort of way. Next up is “Sun” where the song relates a little sun in your face is a good thing. A tight groove, it’s pretty weird in comparison because it’s pretty normal.
“Song of the Irish Band” is a Celtic sort of piece on how songs come into being and give us life. I was confused but I think I liked it. “Outlaw Blues” tells us of Wharton’s arrest in 1984 for cultivating weed. His timein Couty Jail is immortalized here. He shouts out the lyric on top of some heavy guitar. Wild. Sort of . OK, it’s odd. The Sauce Boss appears in chef attire, with the large, white floppy hat atop his head with beaming visage. 7 of the 12 cuts are marked with an asterisk in the accompanying flyer to denote they are bluesiest, just in case the listener was confused. Somehow, I think I’d like to go see this guy and listen live. It would have to be some twisted, crazy fun. Until then, I’ll have to just savor the Sauce Boss CD. Or maybe not again… Reviewed by Steve Jones Blues People Eric Bibb Stony Plain Recording Company www.stonyplainrecords.com 15 tracks Stony Plain Records from Canada is a truly premier roots record label and the release of Blues People adds even more credence to that accolade! Bibb is an accomplished singer, song writer and musician who has assembled in this album a collection of originals, collaborations and covers that are based on the concepts of change and hope. It focuses on African American history, from slavery to emancipation and from hard time share cropping to the Civil Rights movement. The dreams of men and women dragged into or born into slavery and then the dreams that they have had as freedom came to them in dribs and drabs over the 150 years since the end of Civil War are depicted in this CD. Joining Bibb here in the song writing are Guy Davis (“Chocolate Man”), the Reverence Gary Davis (I Heard The Angels Singin’”, Taj Mahal and Glen Scott (arranged the traditional ““Needed Time”). He is joined by many great artists and songs, featuring the likes of Popa Chubby (“Silver Spoon”), Guy Davis (“Chocolate Man’), “I Heard the Angel Singin’ ” (The Blind Boys of Alabama and J.J. Milteau), “Dream Catch-
ers (Harrison Kennedy and Ruthie Foster), “Chain Reaction” (Glen Scott), “Needed Time” (Taj, Ruthie, and the Blind Boys), “Remember the Ones” (Linda Tillery), “Home” (Andre De Lange) and “Where Do We Go” (Leyla McCalla). Bibb does not go completely solo on the remainder of the tracks. Glen Scott is featured on many cuts in a variety of roles, Staffan Astner plays a variety of guitars and stringed instruments on a half dozen tracks as does Michael Jerome Brown. Paul Robinson appears on drums and percussion on a pair of cuts. Bass services come from Neville Malcom (3 tracks) and Desmond Foster (one track). A variety of other artists also perform on a single track here and there and a backing “Choir” of 6 folks appear on a couple of more cuts. There are so many great tracks on this CD. “Chocolate Man” is a lot of fun with Bibb and Davis doing a smash up job together. Chubby and Bibb blend nicely on their guitars on the opening “Silver Spoon.” “Driftin’ Door to Door” is a great song of hope with beautiful finger picking. There’s some great slide on “Turner Station” and “Pink Dream Cadillac” is a sweet song of materialistic dreams. “Needed Time” may be my favorite, mixing an old time banjo opening with an updated hymn-like version of the song. Both songs with the Blind Boys of Alabama are moving as is the funky “Dream Catchers” with Ruthie Foster. “Remember the Ones” is a great straight up 60’s soul tune. All the cuts here have merit and are worth many a listen. Bibb is a great artist who shows his artistry in all his endeavors. Here we find him doing a fantastic job with this album, which is destined to be one of his best. If you like Eric or acoustic blues, this CD is for you! Bibb is at his best again here! Reviewed by Steve Jones
Aaron Williams & the Hoodoo at H&A
January-February 2015 Tells It The Reverend Shaun Amos Put Together www.shawnamos.com/ 6 Tracks It might take longer to discuss this Shaun Amos, than it would take to listen to this EP. It clocks in at about 20 minutes. Shaun Amos is the son of former William Morris agent Wally “Famous” Amos (Yes the cookie man) and R&B singer Shirlee May. He has produced Soloman Burke, John Lee Hooker and Johnny “Guitar” Watson. His original music was recorded for 4 folk/county CDs in the nineties. Shaun grew up in Hollywood, and went on to be an S&R executive with Rhino, and VP of A&R at Shout Factory. Music is in his DNA. As a trustee for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, he helps carry on there mission in music. He also finds time to play blues in LA clubs. This EP is part of his background and love for the blues. He wrote 2 of the 6 tunes, and plays harmonica along with singing the songs, He is supported by Don Medina on drums, Chris Roberts on guitar, and Ed Terrio on bass. On to the music! This EP opens up with the legendary “Hoodoo Man Blues”. This classic was written by Sonny Boy Williamson and made even more famous by Junior Wells. Amos pays respect to it and shows his harp playing skills. “(The Girl Is) Heavy” is an Amos original. It’s pretty good too. It opens with some funky beat, and picks up speed with a chorus, and finishes with a bit of shuffle. How often do you see a Who cover on a blues recording. Well we do here with “I’m The Face”. It works well as the Who borrowed a bit from Slim Harpo’s “Got Love If You Want It”. There is nice guitar work here. Elmore James provided the next song “Something Inside Me”. It is performed with a trio here, allowing the musicianship and feel of the original to shine. They cannot replace Elmore’s guitar touch though. The final cover is “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl”. They keep it true to the original, without overplaying it. I’d have liked to hear something that is not as covered as often, but they did a good job. The EP closes with another Amos original “Sometimes I Wonder”. This is a slow
Page 13 R&B ballad. This song is good, but not as memorable as the other original. Overall this was much better than I anticipated. Amos has learned from his work in the music community. He showed up well here. Let’s see what comes next. Reviewed by Mark Nelson Belmont Boulevard JW-Jones Blind Pig Records www.blindpigrecords.com 12 Tracks/47:07 The October 2014 release marks the 8th CD for the Ontario based Jones and it is arguably his best work to date. Recorded in Nashville and produced by Tom Hambridge, Belmont Boulevard is the latest installment in Jones’s growing catalogue. Through his 15 years as a professional musician, Jones has toured extensively, sought collaborations with fellow blues artists (including Kim Wilson of the Fabulous Thunderbirds and Charlie Musselwhite), and even scored kudos from Blues Brother Dan Aykroyd. In recognition to his large fan base, both insde and outside the music industry, Jones has offered a more personal touch to this recent effort. Opening with “Love Times Ten,” a rockin' blues number, with some country thrown in, features Jones and drummer/producer Hambridge providing the vocals. Next up is a Bobby Parker number, “Watch Your Step,” flavored with searing guitar riffs, classic R&B, and a sixties kind of rhythm nicely done. “Blue Jean Jacket” has a southern bluesy rock song that includes Reese Wynans bangin' the keys and Jones' hot riffs once again. A strong bass line from Dave Roe and some of Jones' best vocals completes “Coming After Me.” “Don't Be Ashamed” is reminiscent of Brithish blues and is complimented by the bass of Laura Greenberg and Jamie Holmes on drums. Onto the pop rock feel of “Thank You,” here is that personal touch mentioned earlier highlighted with more guitar riffs and a driving sound. “Magic West Side Boogie,” perhaps a tribute to the late great Magic Slim, is an instrumental and possibly the best work on
this CD. The infectious fretwork is very nicely done. In honor of arguably one of Jones' biggest influences, Jimmy Vaughn, “What Would Jimmy Do?,” is a slower Latin swing song but Jones never strays far from the rocker within. “If It Feels This Good Tomorrow” has commercial radio play written all over it! Jones now does a Buddy Guy song, “What's Inside Of You,” and manages to bring a hot interpretation which once again showcases his guitar prowess. I think Buddy would approve. “Never Worth” It has that early rock n roll sound enhanced by some very cool reverb and chords. Did I also mention the guitar work? Oh yeah! Bringing it all together is the other personal number, “Cocaine Boy,” a raw blues song filled with notable drum work by Hambridge and really nice echo guitar effects by Jones. I rate this CD as a must own. Jones realized it was time to record in Nashville with Grammy award winning producer Hambridge and the result is a personal look into his life with many songs co-written with Hambridge. JW-Jones is not only a Maple Blues Award winner but one of the hottest young up and coming blues talents today. I anxiously await his ninth CD and second release from Blind Pig Records. Play on JW! Reviewed by Bill Graw
Crossroads Blues Society Newsletter
Page 14 Homecoming Bruce Katz Band American Showplace Music showplacestudios.com brucekatzband.com 13 tracks Featuring a trio of superb artists and a a few great guest artists, Katz returns to the studio to present us this album. He spent a good number of years on the road with John Hammond (who is featured here on a pair of tunes), Gregg Allman, Delbert McClinton and others and now offers us a baker’s dozen mostly original cuts of some really great stuff. Katz is obviously featured on keys, with the B-3 organ as his mainstay along with the piano. Chris Vitarello is on guitar and vocals and Ralph Rosen is on the drums. The title tracks is a flowing and grooving instrumental that opens the album nicely. Katz lays out some nice stuff as Vitarello and guest Jimmy Bennett offer some slick slide and lead guitar work. Randy Ciarlante sings and plays drums on the next cut, “King of Decatur.” This one is a N’awlins style tune with a nice groove and jiving lyric. It swings along and then Katz nails a cool piano solo in the midst of it. The close with the two guitars and B-3s is a great build up and finish to the song. Katz gives us some honky-tonk piano on “Santa Fe Blues,” a Lightnin’ Hopkins tune. Hammond appears here and carries the tune along with Bruce tinkling the keys so well in support Mart Ballou appears on acoustic bass which adds a little depth to the backing. “No Brainer” is just the three band members in a swinging instrumental that is jazzy and upbeat. The big B3 sound blazes a path for us to follow and the guitar work is also impeccable and smooth. Katz returns to the piano for “Amelia” where he and the boys add Peter Bennett on electric bass to give us a lovely ride for about six minutes as they trade piano and guitar licks along with the bass and drums laying out the groove for us. “Wild About You Baby” is a big boogie and nice cover with driving guitar piano and with the vocals gruff and a little distorted for effect. It’s a rocking little number that gets your foot tapping (at a minimum!). Next is “The Czar” where Ciarlante returns on drums and Bennett on guitar. Katz plays some more jazz inspired B3 as the rest lay out a big and driving instrumental. Lery Carr’s “Blues Before Sunrise” features Hammond again and here we get some sweet, slow blues to savor.
“Time Flies” returns us to the jazzy instrumental mode with a very up tempo an driving tune. Vitarello rocks on the guitar and Katz swings on the B3. “The Sky’s the Limit” gives us the core trio in a traditional and original swing blues. Vitarello wrote this one (he also co-authored the fourth track). It’s very Duke Robillardstyled until Katz lets loose in a major way on B3. On “Just an Expression” Chris offers up some funky guitar and Katz and Rosen follow with another swinging instrumental. These guys are addictive! “Won’t Last Till Tuesday” is a darker, mid tempo sort of jazz and blues with soulful guitar and somewhat mellower B-3 work. The CD closes to “It’s a Bad Time,” a bouncy cut where Bennett returns to play and sing. Katz fills the middle with a big B-3 solo and the songs drives along well. Katz always produces well crafted songs and album and this one is another in that mold. Catchy, jazzy instrumentals, driving beats and amazing work on the keys, especially the B-3 Organ. He’s got a couple of great guitar players supporting him here and the band is very tight. If you like grooving, jazzy blues with a New Orleans flair done up right, Katz is your man. He takes what he learned at Berklee College of Music (both as a student and then later on the staff for many years) and his time on the road with the Broadcasters and all the music greats he’s toured with to produce great music here. I loved the album! Reviewed by Steve Jones The Last Shot Got Him Scott Ainslie Cattail 2014 14 tracks; 44 minutes. www.scottainslie.com Musician and blues historian Scott Ainslie’s sixth album was inspired by the acquisition of a 1934 Gibson L-50: “She’s an old lady who knows what she likes”! Scott brings together a series of songs mainly recorded between 1928 and 1941, all played on the L-50 with just a little additional instrumentation, everything played and sung by Scott. Everything is beautifully recorded with crystal clear instruments and vocals. Mississippi John Hurt is the source for no fewer than six of these tunes, from his tribute to his home town “Avalon” to the catchy “Got The Blues, Can’t Be Satisfied”, both from John’s New York session
for Okeh in 1928. The title of the album comes from MJH’s “The First Shot Missed Him” on which Scott adds fretless gourd banjo. The gentle “Honey Right Away” dates from 1966, after MJH’s rediscovery and first recorded at his final recording session; a steel string banjo adds colour to Scott’s warm delivery of this charming song. The jaunty “Monday Morning Blues” is another from 1928 and “Let The Mermaids Flirt With Me” from 1929 has lyrics supplied by record company executive WE Myers to a tune inspired by Jimmie Rodgers’ “Waiting For A Train”. Not surprisingly Robert Johnson also gets a look-in with “Love In Vain” and “Cross Road Blues” (Scott pointing out in the liner notes that, despite the mythology about this song and RJ’s life, there is no mention of the devil in the song). Reverend Gary Davis is represented by the irreverent “Sally Whiskey”, a song he wrote before his conversion to preacher. Scott’s only composition here is “Late Last Night”, written at the time of the Russian invasion of Georgia in 2008, so the lyrics have more of a contemporary resonance than most of the album: “Late last night rich and powerful men set the dogs loose on our throats again”. However, the music sits well alongside all the pre-war songs here. Scott also takes in a wider spectrum than just blues by covering Irving Berlin’s 1932 song “Say It Isn’t So” in a lovely, gentle version with added bass, “When I See An Elephant Fly” from Disney’s “Dumbo” (1941) and Fats Waller’s cheeky “Ain’t Misbehavin’” (1929) which Scott has been playing live since the 1980’s. Reminding us that the song almost failed to make the final cut of 1939 movie “The Wizard Of Oz”, Scott’s slow and respectful adaptation of “Over The Rainbow” closes the album. Through all these vintage songs Scott and his old guitar sound absolutely superb and fans of pre-war acoustic blues should certainly seek out this album. Reviewed by John Mitchell
January-February 2015 We Are The Music Makers CDs: Various Artists Book: Tim and Denise Duffy Music Maker Relief Foundation www.musicmaker.org 2 CDs, 22 tracks each Book by Nautilus Press
Page 15 the Music Maker artists. They are the Music Makers, after all, and deserve the preservation of their music, legacies and history. The book and CD may be purchased individually or as a set. I recommend the set as both are items that blues fans truly will relish and enjoy over the years! Reviewed by Steve Jones
I was introduced to Tim Duffy’s Music Makers organization about a dozen years ago. That was about 8 years too late as they began their operation 20 years ago and I missed out on some of the early excitement. I’ve made up for it since by reading their books and enjoying their music. To celebrate those 20 years, Tim and his wife Denise have compiled photographs and stories of the artists and their work and assembled an accompanying two CD set highlighting the fantastic music releases they have made over those years. I’m going to include information from their advertising materials to give you a more in depth view into them, the book and the CDs. They are also doing a touring museum exhibit and then will culminate this all with a Homecoming official 20th anniversary concert celebration on October 4th at the Old Murphy School in Durham, NC. The exhibit will be displayed the day before at the ArtsCenter in Carrboro, NC. I and several of our members have supported them over the years and Crossroads has raised money for their Hurricane Katrina Relief and other funds. They are a truly worthy organization. Kudos to Tim and Denise for their hard work! The CD set is excellent. Featuring 44 tracks, it gives you an insight to the depth and breath of their catalogue. I did not count but it looks like about 50 different artists appear on these CDs. There are a couple of notable repeats (specifically that would be Guitar Gabriel, Captain Luke, and Cool John Ferguson) who are stalwarts of their releases and shows over the years. Precious Bryant (“If You Don’t Love Me, Would You Fool Me Good”), John Dee Holman (“Chapel Hill Boogie”), the Carolina Chocolate Drops (“Sourwood Mountain”), and Ironing Board Sam (“Nothing But Your Butt’) are but four of the 44 great tracks offered up here. The book offers over 65 fantastic black and white photos and information about
Who They Are The Music Maker Relief Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit, was founded 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. Music Maker will give future generations access to their heritage through documentation and performance programs that build knowledge and appreciation of America’s musical traditions. Since our founding in 1994, we have assisted and partnered with over 300 artists, issued over 150 CDs and reached over a million people with live performance in over 40 states and 17 countries around the globe. How Music Maker Began Music Maker started by helping a small group of blues musicians in WinstonSalem, NC including Guitar Gabriel, Willa Mae Buckner, Preston Fulp, Mr. Q, Macavine Hayes and others. In the early 1990’s, we were amazed to meet elderly artists still performing the musical traditions of the nineteenth and early 20th century America. They lived in abject poverty but when we asked how we could help, they didn’t ask for money, they wanted a gig. Through our humble efforts to secure bookings, record and promote their careers, these artists were soon performing on national stages at Carnegie Hall, the Lincoln Center, and first-rate European festivals. It became apparent to us very quickly that due to age, poverty and educational constraints, these elderly artists would need a strong support structure to perform their music beyond their home communities and be documented for posterity. Some generous music lovers offered to help and we formed the nonprofit. The musicians we worked with are rooted in the Southern musical traditions of blues, gospel, string band, and Native
American. We target our programs to serve the most vulnerable musicians, those 55 years and older with incomes under $18,000 a year. The sad reality is that many of these musicians are scraping by on annual incomes of $7,000 to $10,000. The Album Two decades of sustaining America’s roots music – on this special 2-CD set! The companion CD to Tim and Denise Duffy’s new book of the same name both compliments the book and stands entirely on its own. The two discs are packed with music showcasing the work we have done with artists over our 20-year history. We Are the Music Makers’ 20th Anniversary CD is something for everyone, from the most ardent music lover to newcomers to the MMRF mission. The Book AMERICA TELLS ITS STORIES THROUGH SONG. Consolation to the lovelorn, courage to the oppressed, warning to the naive or a ticket to the Promised Land, a great song can deliver the wisdom of ages directly to our souls. Deeply personal and implausibly universal, the blues, jazz, gospel and old time music of the American South form a deep aquifer that contemporary musicians all around the world drink from daily. The music is constantly expanding and morphing into country, rock, rap and soul, but trace the origins and you will find yourself standing squarely in the South. In the pages of We are the Music Makers, we present portraits of these artists: fathers and mothers, uncles and aunts, daughters and sons, grandparents and neighbors, who continue to lovingly stir the South’s musical stew and feed American culture. The Exhibit We are the Music Makers! will educate and engage viewers in the cultural history of Southern traditional music. We are the Music Makers will feature photo and audio documentation of Southern Roots musicians active in the past 20 years, all photographed and recorded by Tim Duffy in his quest to preserve Southern traditional music by partnering with the artists who make it. The multi-media materials will highlight questions of how poverty, geography and age have limited the exposure of these artists, causing the widespread idea that the musical traditions they perform have “died out.”
Page 16 Looking In The Mirror Howard Glazer Lazy Brothers Records www.howardglazer.com/ 12 Tracks Out of Detroit comes another release by Howard Glazer. His biting guitar style reflects blues rock, straight up blues and a bit of psychedelic sounds. He wrote all of the songs on this his 5th recording. Mostly he uses the power trio band format, with organ supplementing 4 of the tracks. There are 2 added vocalists on the tracks and brass on 2 cuts. Howard has won Detroit Music Awards, and is a member of the Michigan Blues Hall Of Fame. Harmonica Shaw plays and records with Howard also. This CD is very well produced, with clear sound making the listening experience very good. The CD starts out with “Midnight Postman”. This is a funky, guitar laded track, with some fine organ (Larry Marek) holding up it’s part of the recording. Lyrically, this song gives us lots of double entendre to add to the listening fun. “Broken Down Hotel” has some fine vibrato guitar work. Maggie McCabe and Stephanie Johnson add fine supporting vocals on this one. The band comes out firing on “Take Me Baby”. Larry Marek returns and fires the B3 up to complement Howard’s hot guitar work. The band slips into a slower groove on “All I Ever Wanted”. Maggie and Stephanie support the song with good vocals, and Chris Brown gives us some fine bass work.
Crossroads Blues Society Newsletter picks up with a rocking Chuck Berryish song called “Pushing The Limits”. It’s a good song, and I bet a crowd favorite in a live setting. We head to the swamp for “Misunderstood The Devil”. The guitar work gets some special effects. You always need a bit of devil in a blues record. The CD closes out with some more swampy psychedelic licks with a flute added to it. “Emergency” is about the sad state of affairs in Detroit and other areas. The song fits the dark mood of the subject matter. Overall this is a guitar CD, with multiple styles. I’ve not seen Howard live, and would go for it if I have a chance. There are some tunes to listen to again, and some that will not make the listening rotation. It’s a great sounding CD, and I admire that Howard wrote all of it. It does not all work for me. Grab it if what I wrote works for you. Reviewed by Mark Nelson Latenighters Under A Full Moon Berdon Kirksaether & The Twang Bar Kings Roller Records www.rollerrec.com 11 Tracks We have some music here from Norwegian bluesman Berdon Lirksaether. He is accompanied by some members of his long time band CIA. It is an all instrumental concept album. It is much more jazzier
The blues some out on “Walking In Detroit”. This traditional shuffle features fine vocals and a bit of trumpet solo by David Kocbus! This is a fine track … maybe my favorite of the CD. “Eviction Blues” gives us a slow grinding blues tune. The organ plays a big part here. The vocals seem to not match the tune according to my ear. We get an older acoustic (resonator) blues tune called “Feeling So Bad” for the 7th tune. It kept my toe tapping, with the fine guitar work. It is Howard’s tribute to Johnny Winter. On the title cut of the CD, we get some British sounding blues from the sixties. I felt it a bit weaker than some of the other cuts, especially since it is the title track. I did not like the 9th track “Wandering Trails” very much. Not sure if it’s a 70’s rock tune or a Marshall Tucker song. It‘s not as much a fit here. The guitar solos are fine, but the rest loses me. The pace
Reverend Raven and the Chain Smokin’ Altar Boys at H&A
with some latin tinges than the blues we are used to. It is smooth with some fine melodic touches. The cuts are kept short, with only 2 coming in at over 4 minutes. These guys are quality musicians. The story is about a group of friends going out for a big night. It reflects their emotions and escapades for the evening. Some don’t make it to the end, but 3 do. This is their story told through the music. Highlights include: “Conrad's Bar Bounty” - It gives me a Clarence “Gatemouth “ Brown feel. Some fine chops are displayed. “Rendezvous” – A medium tempo Latin beat “Midnight Haze” – Some blues rock, with a bit of Latin background “Jumping The Night Away” – A bit of jazzy blues here Without reading the liner notes, you would not know what the concept was. This makes this concept album hard to swallow. All instrumentals is a tough thing to get through at best. This is not displeasing to the ear. I think I would have liked the CD better as just an all instrumental album rather than a “Concept” album. If you want to check out something really different, this might be for you. It will not be played at your next blues festival. You might play it as some soothing music in front of the fireplace, but not too many times. Reviewed by Mark Nelson
Crossroads Blues Society January-February 2015 Newsletter
Top Blues Releases December 2014 Sunday Morning Blues WKGL-FM 96.7 The Eagle Rockford, IL Etta Britt / Etta Does Delbert / Brittunes Markey Blue / Hey Hey / Soul O Sound Blind Boys of Alabama & Taj Mahal / Talkin' Christmas / Sony Masterworks Pistol Pete / Let It Snow / Self Produced The Knickerbocker All-Stars / Open Mic at the Knick / JP Cadillac Morgan Davis / I Got My Own / Electro -Fi The James Bolden Blues Band / No News "Jus' the Blues" / Real Joe Filisko & Eric Noden / On the Move / Filisko-Noden Various Artists / The Healing Blues / Healing Blues Eric Noden Band / Solid Ground / Eric Noden Bobby Rush with Blinddog Smokin' / Decisions / Silver Talon Johnny Winter / Step Back / Megaforce Dan Phelps / Going Home / Vincent Tommy Castro and the Painkillers / The Devil You Know / Alligator
This list submitted to Living Blues Magazine for inclusion in the December 2014 National Radio Chart. This list is compiled from actual radio airplay statistics. WKGL-FM broadcasts 2 hours of the blues per week.
Rich Gordon Sunday Morning Blues WKGL-FM 96.7 The Eagle 3901 Brendenwood Road Rockford, IL 61107
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Membership News We continue to grow with new members and renewals continuing to sign on! Thank you for supporting live music and tp keeping the blues alive to all our new and returning members! New members: Ralph and Debbie Lanfair Dan Phelps Greg Stark Renewing Members: Brad Appier Arlan Brass Don Collins Dean and Jim Cooper Steve Dougherty Rosemary Edwards Pat Ippen Larry Keller Nancy Keller Rev Milhone (2 year renewal) Christine Olson Ronnie Struck and Diane Mandell New members get a CD upon joining; family members get two CDs. Membership has been $15 and $25 for over 15 years. Mail newsletter members have a $5 surcharge to help with printing and postage costs; it’s expensive to produce and distribute newsletters. We produce six newsletters a year with 25-30 reviews and all sorts of other great information related to the Society and our events. Again, we thank our members for their support and helping us to keep the blues alive! Crossroads Blues Society Officers and Board Members Contact Info President: Steve Jones Vice-President: Bill Graw Secretary: Bonnie Fox Treasurer: Terry Keller Board of Directors: Denny Barker Rick Davis Bob Haendler Ken Pearson Rick Hein
www.bluesblastmagazine.com
sub_insignia@yahoo.com williamjgraw@gmail.com bonitafx@gmail.com terry@markpack.com harkthebark@mchsi.com rick_davis_937@comcast.net rhaendler@comcast.net cntrylivng@aol.com mrrickhein@sbcglobal.net
Hope and Anchor English Pub Monthly Second Saturday Blues The Hope and Anchor Saturday Blues Schedule is set through April 2015. From 8 PM to Midnight, $5 cover after 8 PM or free prior to that for dinner guests. Featuring fine English pub fare, the Hope and Anchor is a great spot for dinner, craft beers, liquors, and great live music! At 5040 N 2nd Street, Loves Park IL, USA, phone 815.633.2552 for info! 1/10/15 Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo 2/14/15 Reverend Raven and the Chain Smoking Altar Boys with Westside Andy Linderman 3/21/15 Sena Ehrhardt 4/11/15 Tail Dragger with the Rockin’ Johnny Band 5/9/15 The Jimmy’s The summer is shaping up nicely, too!
Lyran Society Friday Blues The Lyran Society has decided to add blues to their Fish Fry and Steak Dinners with performances on the first or second Friday of each month at their club. Located half a block east of 7th Street at 1115 4th Ave, Rockford, IL 61104, you can call (815) 964-0511 for info. There is no cover charge, it’s a free show. Open to the public, all ages are welcome! 1/2/15 The Blueshawks 2/6/15 Birddog and Beck 3/13/15 Basement Blues Band 4/10/15 New Savages
Crossroads Blues Society P.O. Box 840 Byron, IL 61010 News Blog with our Latest Info: http://crossroadsbluessociety. blogspot.com/ Music Reviews: http://crossroadsreviews.blogspot.com/
Keeping the Blues Alive Since 1994
Crossroads Blues Festival at Lyran Park: http://crossroadsbluesfestival.blogspot.com/
2014 Blues Foundation Keeping the Blues Alive Affiliate Award Recipient 2014 Chicago Blues Hall of Fame Inductee
Email us at: sub_insignia@yahoo.com Also on the web at: www.crossroadsbluessociety.com/
Blues on Local Radio WNIJ - 89.5 FM Friday evenings from 9 PM to midnight with Harold Brown Saturday afternoons from 1 to 4 PM with Patrick Sheehan Saturday evenings from 9 PM to midnight with David James
Don’t forget that we have Dan Phelps at the IBCs representing us in Memphis in January!
The Eagle - 96.7 FM Sunday Morning Blues 6 AM to 8 AM with Rich Gordon
Blues News and Upcoming Events Happy New Year! We hope all our members and friends had a great Christmas, Channukah, New Year and whatever else you were celebrating! Lots of great blues on tap and we have three partners delivering some great music. The Hope and Anchor, Lyran Club and Rockford Ice Hogs have seven great shows between them are set for the first two months of 2015! The Hope and Anchor Second Saturday Blues feature Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo (1/10) and Reverend Raven and the Chain Smokin’ Altar Boys with Westside Andy (2/14). The Lyran Club has First Friday Blues with The Blues Hawks (1/2) and Birddog and Beck (2/6). The Ice Hogs Friday Home games have The New Savages (1/9), Collins Grayless Band (1/16) and The Hoodoo Rhythm Kings (1/30). Crossroads Blues Festival at Lyran Park tickets were printed and are already on sale! Cloe to 4 dozen have been sold already. We have a great lineup planned for 8/29/15 with Albert Castigila, the Mike
Wheeler Band, Terry Quiett, Stormcellar with Jo Fitzgerald and Jimmy Nick and Don’t Tell Mama. Dan Phelps and Macyn Taylor will be there for performances between sets, too! Only $5 in advance.
Membership Application www.crossroadsbluesociety.com Yes! I’d love to be a part of the Crossroads Blues Society!
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