THE
THE BI-MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF CROSSROADS BLUES SOCIETY
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2019 EDITION
Editorial
Steve Jones, Editor and CBS President
Me and the Rev– Two Old Navy Guys Having a Good Timeat the Fest. Photo by Rick Davis.
support us and our festival! This is how we fund our Blues in the Schools. Speaking of Blues in the Schools, school was out for the summer but our educational music programming continued with more summer events at Burpee Museum (3 events in July) and Byron Forest Preserve (2 events in July) along with our Festival’s harmonica workshop in August. These all added to our music outreach efforts. The 2019/20 school year is in planning and we hope to continue the great work we have been doing with BITS. New blood. We’re looking for new board members and committee leaders to step forward. If you would like to spare a little time (it does not take that much), we need you to help keep our Society growing and moving forward. Contact me at sub_insignia@yahoo.com or at 779-537-4006!
I can’t believe the summer is almost over! July and August were lots of fun and there were once again so many good events to attend. A show at the Lyran Club, two at Hope and Anchor, five at Burpee’s Music on the Rock, and the Festival at Lyran Park totaled nine events and there were twenty acts that were showcased at those nine events. Our tenth annual blues festival was a huge, huge success. Thank you so much to everyone who can out. We sold just shy of 2,000 presale tickets, almost 500 at the door, and had about 300 tickets in the hands of our sponsors and other give away efforts. 200 volunteers, vendors and other folks working at the event bring our attendance close to 3,000, the biggest crowd we’ve ever had out for one of our festivals. All I can say is wow and thank you! Our sponsors also made the day a financial success. We have no way to fund all that needs to be funded prior to the festival without them and we thank them all for ther generosity and support. Lonnie’s Carpet Max and Stonecrafters once again led the way as Festival Level Sponsors and we thank them so much for their confidence in us and their love for our event. The food vendors were again spectacular this year. Smokehouse Barbeque, An Jans Eats, Rustica Woodfired Pizza, Jakarta Café, Mary’s Tacos, the Kiwanis Cub of Byron, Hey Brothers Ice Cream and Gala Snacks all served up some delectable foods. The Boy Scouts once again served water and pop. We also had some cool merchandise courtesy of Kathy’s Purses, Papparazzi Jewelry, Culture Shock Clothing and Records, and Essential Scents 4 U. It was a great day, and it was enhanced by all our vendor’s being there! Our 6 year partnership with the Lyran Society has been a blessing. There is no better place to hold the festival than Lyran Park. It’s a beautiful location on the Kishwaukee River with great shade trees, ample parking and a natural amphitheater. We appreciate the hard work of all the Lyran Club members and volunteers. We also appreciate all the volunteers who come out to
Membership also remains a focus area. If you are not a member, why not join? If you are a member, who can you ask to join? Again, benefits are this newsletter, all the great events we do, supporting Blues in the School efforts, and the shows, picnics, and even the occasional meal that is available free to members throughout the year. Our picnic and food at our IBC fundraiser were great perks for members in the last year. Since we mentioned the IBC, our Crossroads Blues Challenge is Sunday, October 6th at the Lyran Society. See inside for more information on that event! The Blues Blast Music Awards are Friday, September 13th at the Tebala Events Center. Crossroads is a major sponsor of this and we have discounted tickets for our members available. See page 10 inside. Coco Montoya returns to the Nordlof Center for a show on Thursday, October 17th at 7 PM. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. See poster inside. Last but not least is our new partnership with the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center. We are starting up shows there most months and have Saturday, September 28 as our kickoff event with Toronzo Cannon at 7 PM! October 19th is Wayne Baker Brooks and November 23rd we have another great show planned. Admission is only $10 for these top-notch shows and food and beverages are available to purchase! September and October are shaping up to be excellent. Hope to see you all at some live music events! Don’t forget our annual meeting on Friday, September 20th at 6 pm prior to the Paul Filipowicz show at the Lyran Club! Very blues-ily yours,
Contents Editorial……………………………………………….………….………....2 Contents, Board, Local Radio & Application ……….………….3 BITS Update…………………………….……………………....….…....4 Music on the Rock at the Burpee Museum. ….….…..……….5 New Glarus Blues, Brews & Food Truck Festival…..……...6 10th Annual Crossroads Blues Festival.... ……………....…..7 Blues Blast Music Awards..………………………………………….10 Crossroads Blues Challenge.……………………………………….11 Music Reviews……………………………………...…………….......12 More from Crossroads Festival Photos……..….……………..29 July and August Crossroads Photos…...……….……………..31 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival. …………...……..…………..33 Upcoming Shows……………………………………………...….…..35 Member Update……………………………………..…………........39 Hope and Anchor, Lyran and Radisson Shows…………….39 Blues News and Upcoming Events……………………..……...40
Cover photos by Rick Davis The Groove is a bi-monthly publication of the Crossroads Blues Society. The PDF version (typically 32 to 40 or more pages) is emailed to members of Crossroads. Hard copies (12 pages) are sent out to members without email ($5 membership surcharge). Editor in Chief: Steve Jones Music Reviewers: Rick Davis, John Mitchell, Marty Gunther, Bill Graw, Lynn Hetzler, Mark Nelson, Tom Lombardo, Steve Jones and Mark Thompson.
Blues on Local Radio WNIJ - 89.5 FM •
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Rich Gordon fills in regularly
Crossroads Blues Society Officers and Board Members Contact Info President: Steve Jones
sub_insignia@yahoo.com
Vice-President: Bill Graw
williamjgraw@gmail.com
Secretary: Bonnie Fox
bonitafx@gmail.com
Treasurer: Terry Keller
terry@markpack.com
Board of Directors: Denny Barker Rick Davis Bob Haendler Ken Pearson
harkthebark@mchsi.com rick_davis_937@comcast.net rhaendler@comcast.net cntrylivng@aol.com
Rick Hein
mrrickhein@sbcglobal.net
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Blues in the Schools Update
Wheatbread Johnson’s First Harp Workshop at Byron Forest Preserve Our first attempts at summer music education programming was great success. We did the last two of three sessions with Wheatbread Johnson with the Byron Forest Preserve as harmonica workshops in July; the first in June was more of a traditional BITS effort. Bob Haendler and Steve Jones from CBS supported those efforts. They had large groups of program students at those sessions (60-70 each) and they enjoyed getting the lessons and a free harmonica from the Forest Preserve! Those sessions were July 2nd and 31st.
Wheatbread Johnson’s Second Harp Workshop at Byron Forest Preserve At the Burpee Music on the Rock we had a harp workshop with Joe Filisko on July 3rd. 41 students came out for that and they loved working with Joe. Each got a free harp courtesy of the Museum. This was another effective program with kids responding well to the lesson. The July 17th session had just one student at the Burpee Museum so we cut that one short but on July 31st we had a nice group of youngsters come out for Wheatbread Johnson’s final Blues School. The sang and danced and made animal sounds for the better part of and hour and they loved it. Many parents also sat in and enjoyed the session.
Wheatbread Johnson with Bob Haendler and Steve Jones at Music on the Rock (Burpee) 4th Session
Joe Filisko’s Harp Workshop at the Burpee Museum
We did another Joe Filisko Harp Workshop at our festival on August 24th. Joe has done this at 7 of our 10 festivals and he is always welcome every year! What a great event and a great way to cap off our summer education efforts! Thanks to Joe and Wheatbread for their great work!
Joe Filisko’s Harp Workshop at the Ctrossroads Blues Festival
Music on the Rock Concludes July brought five great shows to the Burpee Museum Music on the Rock series. We had a great two months of music and we thank Burpee, Associated Bank and Frana Group for making these events possible! July kicked off with Grand Groove Hotel on the 3rd, the expanded version of this great local jazz band. Fronted by Gina Meeks, this band is amazing. We had about 225 people out for this one!
year along with an evening show. July 24th was the return of Memphis’ Ghost Town Blues Band. They also wowed the crowd with their music and presence on the stage. They were on fire all night long! Last up was Dave Keller and his band from Vermont. The biggest crowd of the season closed the series as
Kevin Burt
Grand Groove Hotel
Ivy Ford and her band graced the stage on July 10th. Ivy, Willie Rauch and Dave Axen did an outstanding job as the Chicago Blues Kitten wowed another big crowd. Ghost Town Blues Band
Dave sang and played his way into the hearts of everyone there. His soulful voice and great guitar work was spectacular! It was a summer to remember, capped off by another great show! We hope to bring more great music to Burpee next summer!
Ivy Ford photo by Rick Davis
July 17th was our lone solo show with Kevin Burt and what a show it was! Kevin and his early band visited Rockford many moons ago but this was the first time for the 2018 IBC Solo/Duo Winner to play here as a solo act. It was electrifying whether he was doing his great originals or bluesing up such rock bands as Cheap Trick or the Beatles! We’ve spoken with Kevin about some opportunities to do Blues in the Schools with him this next school
Dave Keller Trio
New Glarus Blues, Brews & Food Truck Festival Photos
by Rick Davis
Tenth Annual Crossroads Blues Fest
It’s hard to believe the festival has come and gone and that it has been ten years since we began this endeavor. From 2010 to 2019 we have had ten superb events featuring 51 acts on the main stage. Since those first four years in Byron and the last six at the beautiful Lyran Park in Rockford we have had a great run and hope the next ten can be just as good if not even better. We have built our event on sound principals and hard work. Our Blues in the Schools program hinges on the efforts for the fest so it needs to be a success each and every year. We kicked the day off with The Blues Disciples. Barefoot Jimmy Schwarz on harp did a fantastic job as did the rest of the band!
Chris O’Leary was up next and his vocals and harp were spectacular as was his band!
Reverend Raven and the Chain Smoking Altar Boys with Westside Andy Linderman on harp made the crowd stand up and take notice. They were just outstanding. Nick Moss and Dennis Gruenling showed why they won Blues Music Awards back in May. These two were superb and Nick’s wife Kate joined them for the set.
Rounding out the day was the legendary John Primer with Steve Bell on the harp. What a fine set and what a way to cap off our tenth anniversary festival! We had our biggest crowd ever and sold more tickets in advance and at the door combined than ever before. It was an amazing day and everyone enjoyed the mild and pleasant weather that made the day even more special!
The Saltines with Ted Lawrence and Frank Scordato graced the Pavilion for some fine tunes first. Then Joe Filisko did a harp workshop that drew a huge crowd. Biddog and Beck rolled in for a third super set in the Pavilion. Wheatbread Johnson and Justin :Boots� Gates did the fourth and final set in the covered area, showing some great musicality. Crossroads President Steve Jones was honored by the Officers and Board of Crossroads for having served the Society for ten years, producing great events over the last decade. He was speechless! Our sponsors deserve huge credit in helping to make this a financial success. Lonnie’s Carpet Max and Stonecrafters were Festival Level sponsors for the second year running and we appreciate the support of Lonnie and the Presson family. We could not do this without them! All of our sponsors are listed above and to the right. They appeared on back of the tee shirts, on the front stage banner and in other periodicals and print media. Thanks so much to each and every one of them for their support of our event!
One of Joe Filisko’s harp workshop proteges put her learning to good use and auditioned in front of the stage for Nick Moss and Dennis Gruenling and they invited her up to join them. She had a blast as did Nick and Dennis as they jammed together on stage. Blues fans snapped many a photo of the bands and themselves. Here are a few of them with lots of happy faces– sorry there is not room for everyone!
Blues Blast 2019 Awards Return to Tebala The 2019 Blues Blast Music Awards return to the Tebala Events Center Friday, September 13th. Doors open at 5 PM and the show and awards begin at 6 PM and go to midnight. Tickets are now $35 in advance but CBS members can get them from Steve Jones for $25. Call 779-537-4006 for tickets or information. Some of the artists coming include Mary Lane, Teeny Tucker, Dawn Tyler Watson, Mighty Mike Schermer, Bob Corritore Review with Oscar Wilson and Taildragger, Alastair Green, Doug Deming & The Jewel Tones, Katie Henry, Catfish Keith, Whitney Shay, Russ Green, Dave Keller, Bob Frank and Ben Rice. This is going to be one helluva show! 2019 Blues Blast Music Award Nominees Contemporary Blues Album Brandon Santini – The Longshot Chris O’Leary – 7 Minutes Late Tom Hambridge – The Nola Sessions Mighty Mike Schermer – Bad Tattoo Shemekia Copeland – America’s Child Vanessa Collier – Honey Up
Beth Hart – Live At Royal Albert Hall Mitch Woods – A Tip Of The Hat To Fats Tommy Castro & The Pain Killers – Killin’ It Live Historical Or Vintage Recording Henry Townsend – Mule Henry Townsend And Roosevelt Sykes – Blues Piano and Guitar Washington University 1973 Magic Slim & The Teardrops – I’m Gonna Play The Blues Jody Williams – In Session 1954-1962: Diary Of A Chicago Bluesman Chris Youlden &The Slammers New Artist Debut Album Katie Henry – High Road Russ Green – City Soul Sister Suzie – Ain’t No Lady The Bennett Brothers – Not Made For Hire Tiffany Pollack & Eric Johanson – Blues In My Blood Blues Band JP Soars & The Red Hots Anthony Geraci & The Boston Blues All-Stars Doug Deming & The Jewel Tones Sugaray Rayford Band Tommy Castro & The Pain Killers Nick Moss Band Band featuring Dennis Gruenling
Traditional Blues Album Mary Lane – Travelin’ Woman Benny Turner & Cash McCall – Going Back Home Teeny Tucker – Put On Your Red Dress Bob Corritore & Friends – Don’t Let The Devil Ride Elvin Bishops Big Fun Trio – Something Smells Funky ‘Round here Anthony Geraci – Why Did You Have To Go? Big Joe & The Dynaflows – Rockhouse Party
Male Blues Artist John Primer Mark Hummel Sugaray Rayford Brandon Santini Anthony Geraci Toronzo Cannon
Soul Blues Album Big Daddy Wilson – Deep In My Soul Dave Keller – Every Soul’s A Star Frank Bey – Back In Business John Primer – The Soul Of A Blues Man Ms Zeno The Mojo Queen – Back In Love Sugaray Rayford – Somebody Save Me
Female Blues Artist Mary Lane Dawn Tyler Watson Fiona Boyes Teeny Tucker Vanessa Collier Maria Muldaur
Rock Blues Album Alastair Greene – Live From The 805 Jeremiah Johnson – Straitjacket JP Soars – South Bound I-95 Mike Zito – First Class Life Sean Chambers – Welcome To My Blues Walter Trout – Survivor Blues
Sean Costello Rising Star Award Jontavious Willis Whitney Shay Ben Rice Christone “Kingfish” Ingram Jeremiah Johnson Lindsay Beaver
Acoustic Blues Album Catfish Keith – Reefer Hound – Viper Songs Revisited Ben Rice – Wish The World Away Bob Frank – True Stories and Outrageous Lies Matt Woods – Tired & Dirty Joe Louis Walker, Bruce Katz, Giles Robson – Journeys To The Heart Of The Blues Joe Flip and Tony Cuchetti – Tin Can Tunes Live Blues Recording Magic Slim & The Teardrops – I’m Gonna Play The Blues Tony Holiday – Tony Holiday’s Porch Sessions Blues Caravan – Live 2018
Crossroads Blues Challenge 2019 Our 2019 Crossroads Blues Challenge is scheduled to be on Sunday, October 6th at the Lyran Society in Rockford, tentatively at 2 pm. They are at 1115 4th Avenue, Rockford, IL, 61104. We are looking for bands, solo/duo acts and youth acts to compete who have played in the Northern Illinois/Southern Wisconsin Area in the last year. Contact Steve Jones at sub_insignia@yahoo.com or 779-537-4006 for more information. The is a $25 entry fee per act. The winners of the Band, Solo/Duo and Youth Competitions will represent Crossroads at the 2020 International Blues Challenge in Memphis January 28th to February 1st, 2020. To participate in the International Blues Challenge, you must participate in and win a local challenge sponsored by a current Blues Foundation Affiliated organization. Bands and Solo/Duo acts will be selected to compete. Youth Acts will be selected to perform during the Youth Showcase but will not compete. An act or individual must never have received a Blues Music Award nomination and an act may not participate in the IBC in three consecutive years.
We are also looking for local entries for Best Self Produced CD. Only CDs released between November 1, 2018 and October 31, 2019 are eligible for consideration as The 2020 Best SelfProduced CD. Please contact Steve Jones at sub_insignia @yahoo.com or 779-5374006 if you would like to submit your CD to us for our consideration.
We hope to have a robust challenge and that we can send highly competitive bands to the 2020 IBC! We hope to hear from your bands and acts very soon!
Music Reviews The Forty Fours—Twist The Knife Rip Cat Records ripcatrecords.com/ 8 Tracks One of the finest dedicated West Coast blues bands just released their fourth album since their debut album Boogie Disease in 2011. The 44s followed up with 2012’s Americana and in 2015 a live album entitled 44's On The 13th. Since then they have developed quite a fan base performing on the West Coast and in the Midwest. The band started twenty years ago has been rebuilt by Johnny Main with guests like kid Ramos and Junior Watson along the way. The current Forty Fours lineup includes bandleader Johnny Main on vocals and guitar, Eric Von Herzen (from The Atomic Road Kings) on harmonica, Mike Hightower on bass, Gary Ferguson on drums, and guitarist guest Junior Watson. After revamping the band as a tribute to those artists who stayed true to the blues, Johnny decided to release a fourth album. Some of the legends that served as a source of inspiration for Main to release the tribute album Twist The Knife were Richard Berry, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Lightning Hopkins, Doyle Bramhall II, James Harman, and T-Bone Walker. Main's West Coast guitar expertise comes shining through on the opening number "Cuttin' Deep," an original electrifying instrumental with Eric Von Herzen adding some cool harp to a driving rhythm section. Johnny adds his distinctive vocals to the 1957 Richard Berry and The Pharoahs "Sweet Sugar You," a classic blues infused Doo-Wop tune as a tribute to Richard Berry, an African American singer songwriter. The next tribute song is the Howlin' Wolf tune "Howlin'," with Johnny Main replicating the signature vocals that we have heard from Wolf, featuring guest guitarist Junior Watson with a stellar guitar solo. Main selects next the 1981 Muddy Waters album King Bee for his tribute to the legend from Clarksdale Mississippi with "Champagne and Reefer." Johnny does a splendid job of handling Muddy's vocals with Eric Von Herzen taking the place of Jerry Portnoy on harp on the original. The band pays homage to Samuel Hopkins or Lightning Hopkins as we know him, with a selection from the 1965 release from Soul Blues entitled "Too Many Drivers." They pick the pace up on this classic shuffle, adding some tasty West Coast guitar work to their rendition. Johnny uses a more current selection on the next track choosing "Rosie" from the collection of the living legend Doyle Bramhall II, adding a different guitar style and leaving out the wah pedal often heard from Bramhall II. Main takes the James Harman "Helsinki Laundromat Blues" and shortens the title to "Helsinki Blues," adding some Albert Collins style guitar riffs to an already spectacular blues standard.
The ultimate West Coast blues guitar tribute for Johnny Main would be of course T-Bone Walker and his "T-Bone Shuffle." The original 1947 shuffle was recorded with Bumps Myers on saxophone, Oscar Bradley on drums, George Orendorf on trumpet, Willard McDaniel on piano, and the world renown T-Bone Walker, making his guitar style very recognizable. Since then, it has been rearranged by many blues artists but The Forty Fours have created an arrangement combining West Coast nostalgia with a contemporary twist combining the talents this time of Johnny Main on vocals and guitar, Eric Von Herzen on harmonica, Mike Hightower on bass, Gary Ferguson on drums, and guitar of Junior Watson to make it their own as the "44's Shuffle." As an avid 44's and West Coast blues fan, I have been waiting a long time for the release of Twist The Knife. Although the album is a short one, it is good to see this band back again, anticipating more of this West Coast blues yet to come. Main was quoted as saying "When you get right down to it, this album is about perseverance." "I was at a point where I had to decide whether or not to keep going, to keep this band alive. All those guys we look up to, like Muddy, Wolf, Albert Collins, Lightnin’ Hopkins… they kept going right up until they died. I want this record to serve as a tribute to them, their inspiration is why I started this band almost 20 years ago, and it's what keeps driving us today." The 44s are one of the most underrated blues bands in the blues circle today. Reviewed by Rick Davis
Jason Ricci & The Bad Kind – My Chops Are Rolling Eller Soul Records www.mooncat.org/ 11 Tracks 50:57 New Orleans has been the home for Jason Ricci since 2011. He was born in Maine, and spent time in Memphis and Raleigh NC along his life’s journey. Punk music was his original music calling, with harmonica chosen as an instrument. With his mom’s encouragement he got into blues music. Ricci married musician Kaitlin Dibble in 2017 and she appears on this release. His skills with performing and playing the harmonica has garnered him numerous awards and nominations over the years. There are a dozen releases by Ricci and other special guest slots. For this release, Ricci sings and plays his harmonica. Joining him on the recording is the Bad Kind Band including John Lisi (guitar, dobro & vocals), Andy Kurz (bass & backup vocals), John Perkins (drums & backup vocals) and Kaitlin Dibble (vocals & backup vocals). There are 2 covers and the remaining cuts written by Ricci, Lisi or the band members. The music is blues with some rock and other genres mixed in.
“Break In The Rain” is a rollicking opening cut. The band really gets into a strong jam with Ricci’s harmonica and Lisi’s guitar blazing the trail. John Lisi wrote this tune. The band turns to some down home blues on “Don't Badger The Witness”. Ricci wrote this one, and it is a very good tune. NFL allegiance to the Saints and a dislike of the Falcons is the basis for the 3rd tune. “F_ck The Falcons (Who Dat Nation)” is a non radio friendly pole at the rest of the NFC South competitors. The Led Zeppelin classic “Going To California” is the first cover tune on the CD. It is an instrumental version of this classic with Ricci’s harp leading the way on this 5 ½ minute romp. The second cover is on a song by the great Barbara Lynn. “If You Should Lose Me” features Kaitlin Dibble on the vocals for this gulf coast soulful classic. The title tune “My Chops Are Rolling” is up next. It is a modern funky blues tune with great energy. There is some fun on the funky “Sleeping On Biscuits” and it’s reference to KFC meals and other food. Lisi cuts loose on his guitar on this one. “Snow Flakes And Horses” is a crazed tune, with more rock than blues in the music. I like the long slow grinding blues tune “The Way I Hurt Myself”. It is a bit on the darker side but the blues can be that way. Musically the tune is outstanding with plenty of room to stretch it out timing out at 7 ½ minutes. “Think It Over” is a John Lisi penned tune. This one is more a country blues feel. Ricci plays his harp in the style of a country fiddle in the tune. He really plays his tush off. Closing out the release is “Who Dat Nation - Radio Version”. It is a remake of 3rd cut with a more family friendly set of lyrics. This is a strong performance by Ricci and all of his band. There is variety of musical types and very strong playing. The mood is more upbeat than some of the past Ricci releases. There is string original tunes and the covers showed some originality to them. Non-NFL fans can skip the 2 football songs and still get a good earful of music. New Orleans and marriage seem to be agreeing with Jason Ricci. Let’s hope more great harmonica music is ahead. Reviewed by Mark Nelson
Paul Oscher – Cool Cat Blue Fidelity Recordings www.pauloscher.com 13 tracks Blues legend Paul Oscher plays piano and guitar along with harp and spent his early career on Chicago’s South Side. Sharing a basement with Otis Spann in Muddy Water’s house, Paul toured and recorded with Muddy and played with many of the notables in the blues. His career had spanned decades and he continues to churn out great music while continuing to inspire harp players around the globe. All original tunes are included here except for one cover. Oscher plays harp and piano on all tracks. He sings on 8 of them and plays guitar on 4. Johnny Ace, Saah Brown, Chris Alcaraz and Kid Anderson share the bass duties. Drummers are Russell Lee, Ernie Durawa and June Cone. Lee also sings on a foursome of the
cuts. Mike Schermer and Mike Keller play guitar along with Oscher. Sax work was provided by Eric Burnhardt, Tom Robinson, and Tomas Ramirez. Other lead vocalists are Miss Lavelle White on “Dirty Dealin Mama” and Lisa Leuschner on the long version of the title track. Backing vocals on “Rollin’ and Tumblin’” are by Sunny Lowdown and Jeremy Dowden.
The CD opens with a NOLA flair in “Money Makin’ Woman.” The horns provide a great backing and Oscher tinkles the keys with the best of them as he growls out the lead vocals. Nice piano and sax solos here, too! “Blues and Trouble” is a thoughtful, slow blues. Paul is gritty and cool in his delivery. The tenor sax solo is beautiful mid cut and we get a little dirty guitar soloing late in the piece. “Hide Out Baby” is a fun little shuffle and features a big guitar solo and later the first appearance with Paul on harp. It’s a nice number. The harp introduces “Work That Stuff,” a blues ballad that Oscher plays and sings with emotion. The harp is excellent; he plays with restraint that just grabs the listener in this cool cut. The lone cover is Muddy’s “Rollin’ and Tumblin’” and features a trio with Oscher and the two backing vocalist. Keller and Brown along with Oscher give us great guitar work to savor here in a simple and stark cover with the snare driving the beat. The title cut has three variants. Here next the first is a prologue by Oscher speaking and playing a little piano and talking about a guy who walked by Muddy’s house with a cat tied to his waist. The cat wore a beret and sunglasses and called the cat Cool Cat. The premise for he tune is the guy’s flute tune which Oscher plays for us on the piano and simulates the kids who followed the man and his cat with some recorded kids. He transitions in the Jazz Quartet version with Durama, Ramirez and Alcarez. It’s a pretty and jazzy blues instrumental. “Mississippi Poem” is a very dark and cool poem recited by Russell Lee before he takes the lead vocals on “Ain’t That A Man (Dedicated to Mr. Cotton).” You can figure out who the tune is about as Lee speaks and sings the lyrical tribute to James Cotton. Very cool. Miss Lavelle White is on the following tune and gives us some very cool vocals on “Dirty Dealin’ Mama.” Full of double entendres, Oscher on piano and guitar and Robinson on sax give her a great backdrop to deliver her cut. The jazz quartet returns for “On The Edge,” and this one is pure jazz. Piano and sax trade the lead on the instrumental with a cool fade out and in that gives it a little more edge. Lee returns for “Poor Man Blues,” done in pure Chicago blues style with piano, guitar and sax responding to Lee’s call and backing him well. The album closes with the long R&B version of the instrumental title track. Oscher’s piano is the feature here as he plays with hand claps in percussive support. Robinson’s tenor solo is pretty and then Keller’s guitar gets a turn to shine. The first bass goes next (Brown and Anderson are on the track), and Lee gets a shot at the drum solo. Another bass solo and then another sax solo before Oscher takes us home on piano. Leuschner howls in support as part of the outro, a very cool ending to a cool cut about a cool cat. Well done! This is a great CD. Oscher shows his roots with Muddy and gives us his all. Not as much harp as I expected from one of his CDs but the music is super. I liked the arrangements and songs and everyone gave their all. I recommend this one for many a fine evening of listening! Reviewed by Steve Jones
Heather Newman – Rise From The Flames Vizztone Label Group heathernewmanband.com/ 13 Tracks 54:29
Heather Newman and the band. I hope we all get to see her live playing this set of tunes. This one might just make some yearend lists.
Heather Newman has been on the rise from playing with The Nick Schnebelen Band in 2016 to two of her own releases in 2017 and now in 2019. I first saw her at the 2018 Blues Blast Awards in Rockford, IL. She won awards for “Best New Artist” and “Sean Costello Rising Star”. I enjoyed her performance that night and her initial CD Burn Me Alive on the drive home. The group is based out of Kansas City. Newman handles vocals, bass and acoustic guitar. She is joined by Ryan Matthew (vocals, keys, percussion), Keith Ladd (lead guitar) and Adam Watson (drums). Michael Lefever (sax) and Teddy Krulewich (trumpet) make guest appearances. All of the tunes were written by the band. The music here is blues with touches of soul, funk and rock.
Gracie Curran & Friends – Come Undone Vizztone Label Group www.graciecurran.com/ 8 Tracks 32:05
Opening up the release is “I'm Coming For You”. There is a solid base for the tune with Newman’s bass and Adam Watson on drums. I like the keyboard work by Adam Watson also. It is a sultry and powerful tune. “Zakary” is a funky soulful tune. Ryan Matthew provides a solid solo on the keyboards. It will make playlists for blues radio. I like the 12 bar blues tune “She Sure Looks a Lot Like Me’. Newman’s vocals snarl out the lyrics about love that is over for her, but not for her ex. Keith Ladd supplies some fine guitar work on this one. Newman continues with her story telling lyrics on “You Mean to Tell Me”. It is a mid tempo blues tune with a bit of funk in it. The title track is next. “Rise From the Flames” has a soulful feel to it. It is a story about rising up above the issues in your life. There is fine work by the band on this one. On “Water And Wine” the band puts their might into a slower blues rock tune. I like the organ and guitar work on this one. Newman’s vocals are top notch also. “Lonely on Beale” is a really good blues rock tune. The brass additions really add to the tune. “His Soul” is a slow driving soulful tune. I like the power of the music and vocals here. Newman grabs her acoustic guitar for “Take It Slow”. It mixes well with Ryan Matthew’s piano work. The brass returns on the funky tune “Coming Home”. Yet again, Keith Ladd puts his funky guitar to work on a nice solo. Newman showcases her soulful voice on ”What Goes Around” The semi ballad has a real modern feel to it. “Cheapshot” is another funky tune. The brass fills out the overall sound on this one. Closing out the musical outing is “ That's All”. The fingers of Ryan Matthew and his piano really carry this tune. This is a keeper of a release. To put together 13 original tunes for this release, is a real positive for the band. Real life experiences enter into some of the tunes. They hit home to the blues listeners. The writing shows imagination and complexity. The musicianship is very good overall. There is no sophomore slump for
Reviewed by Mark Nelson
Originally from Boston, Gracie Curran now operates from Memphis TN. The move was a big leap of faith and it took a bit of time to regain her life footing in Memphis. Currently she and her group The High Falutin’ Band are the house band at Rum Boogie Cafe on Beale Street in Memphis. This is her sophomore release following 2013’s Proof Of Love. Curran handles the vocals on the CD. Damon Fowler (guitar), Justin Headley (drums) and Matt Walker (guitar bass and wurli piano) round out the main band. Special guests are Pat Harrington (guitar), Victor Wainwright (piano), Jeremy Powell (keys), Doug Woolverton (trumpet), Mark Earley (sax) and Reba Russell (background vocals). Fowler and Curren produced the recordings. The music is a mix of blues, rock & soul. The opening track is the title track “Come Undone”. It is a slower tune with lots of soul, and a hint of reggae. Wainwright handles the piano on this one. At about 6 ½ minutes this slower tune may drag out a bit too long. “Ernestine” is a slower country blues tune. Reba Russell helps out on the vocals. I like the up tempo soulful/jazzy tune “Stay Up!”. Earley and Woolvertion add their horns to the music. This is a lively tune! The 4th tune is “The Things We Love”. Reba Russell returns to help on vocals and Jeremy Powell is on the piano. The song is a mid tempo soulful tune. “Sweet Sativa” features some tasty slide guitar work by Damon Fowler. This is a foot tapping blues tune, and is my favorite tune on the disc. Victor Wainwright returns on the piano for “If Mama Ain't Happy”. This is a rock n’ roll rave up with a feel from Little Richard in it. I bet this one gets the crowd dancing. The next tune, “Love Is The Cruelest Thing I Know”, is a blues/soul ballad. “Chasing Sunsets” closes out the disc. This one is a fair bit country in nature. Curran enjoys the sunsets in Memphis. There is good musical variety on this release. It tells some of the story of moving to Memphis and getting her life and career back on track. I like there are originals here. Recording this new music in Memphis has to help Curran feel good about her new home. The mix of musical types makes this appealing to most all blues fans. Step up and give it a listen, and stop by and see Gracie Curran and her band on Beale Street. Reviewed by Mark Nelson
Tullie Brae – Revelation Endless Blues Records www.tulliebrae.com/ 10 Tracks 38:58
Alice Howe – Visions Know How Music www.alicehowe.com/ 10 Tracks 40:09
From the great state of Louisiana we get to hear the third overall release by Tullie (Tuh-lee) Brae. She has the Apostolic church her father was the pastor of as the base of her musical roots. She has toured professionally in the gospel community, and now in the blues. Brae sings and playing drums, keyboards, piano, B3 and cigar box guitar. Blues man Jeff Jensen produced this set of tunes that were all written by Brae. Jensen also lends his guitar, percussion & handclaps to the release. Additional musicians are Bill Rufino (bass and hand claps), David Green (drums James Cunningham (percussion and drums), Rick Steff (Fender Rhodes and Wurlitzer organs), Susan Marshall and Dauniele Hill (backing vocals), Mick Kolassa (handclaps and backing vocals), Brad Webb and Sturges Nikides (slide guitar), Brandon Santini (harmonica), Alice Hasan (violin), and Myra Hall (viola). Overall the music is bluesy, with some soul and rock blended in.
In her youth, life was filled with the arts, music, and nature walks. Originally from Newton MA, her musical career got a distinct direction attending the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance Conference in 2016. She met Freebo, longtime bassist for Bonnie Raitt and many other of rock’s best. This release is the first full length release for Alice Howe and a result of that meeting and collaboration with Freebo. Half of the tunes are originals, along with interpretations of some classic tunes. Howe sings and plays acoustic guitar. Freebo plays bass, does background vocals and produced the sessions. Other musicians include John ‘JT’ Thomas (piano), Fuzzbee Morse (guitar), Jeff Fielder (guitar) John Molo (drums) and Augie Howe (background vocals). The music is folk in origin, with some classic blues and soul covers.
The release opens up with a powerful bluesy tune called “Price Of The Blues”. The tune is about dealing with a relationship abuser and the personal justice dealt out to him. UP next is “Seven Bridges”. It is a soulful/gospel tune that really shows off Brae’s vocal abilities. I like the soulful “Mississippi Rain”. The slow tune is quite enchanting. This song is about a failed romance and dealing with the pain of it. Brandon Santini adds his harmonica to “Break These Chains”. This is a mid-temp blues rock tune about feeling the need to break up a relationship. The mood is more uplifting on “New Shoes”. It is a lighter blues ballad with Brae on piano and vocals. Musically “Devil In Deville” takes us up to Hill Country for some blues. I like the frantic pace of this song. It is a preacher vs. the devil battle. The 7th cut is “Ain't No Good”. I bet that a live version of “Ain't No Good” is a concert highlight. The tune is a powerful blues rock tune with great vocals. There is a funky intro to “Watch Her Move”. The backing vocals from Susan Marshall and Dauniele Hill help the song get a fuller sound. Brae’s gospel background in apparent on “Shine”. It is a positive message mid tempo tune about being uplifting and making things better. The closing number is “Thank You Mom”. This is a very personal and heartfelt song to Brae’s mother. Set in a more pop ballad setting complete with strings, the emotions are clear. The piano based tune is a gem. I like this one. It has a variety and quality of sound. Lyrics speak to modern issues and to uplift people. The vocals are better than solid. From video I looked at, Tullie Brae has a strong stage presence and looks to own the stage. It is a positive that she writes sings and plays multiple instruments. Jeff Jensen did a great job on the controls and with his guitar. Let’s hope she comes to your town so you get to go see her play. Until then, enjoy this release! Reviewed by Mark Nelson
“Twilight” is a softer story song. Howe’s voice is very pretty, with a Celtic blend in the sound. A Taj Mahal tune is next. “Lovin' In My Baby's Eyes” is a later Taj tune (1996 Phantom Blues), with gets a softer bluesy rock feel in this version. It is well done. “Still On My Mind” is an original tune. It is a good tune, telling the tale of remembering things/people from through your past. It reminds me of early Joni Mitchell work. Al Keith adds some congas to this cut. I am reminded of early James Taylor on the original tune “What We Got Is Gold”. There fewer instruments used, though Thomas gives up his guitar for an accordion for this cut. The 5th cut is a cover of the classic Sam Cooke tune “Bring It On Home To Me”. This treatment is a bit jazzy with ‘JT’ Thomas playing the piano and Lee Thornburg (trumpet) and Paul Perez (sax) adding some brass to the tune. It won't top the original, but is a fair cover. Freebo brings in a cover written (Joel Zoss) for his old boss Bonnie Raitt “Too Long At The Fair”. This is from her 1972 LP Give It Up. Jeff Fielder adds some fine slide guitar for this slower bluesy tune. Muddy Waters wrote “Honey Bee”, sometimes referred to as “Sail On”. Timing in at almost 5 minutes, the players really get to stretch out on this one. This is a classic Chicago blues tune done in a somewhat different feel that is quite good. “Getaway Car” is a more uptempo soulful tune. The horns really stand out, along with the B3 work by ‘JT’ Thomas. This one stands out on the release. The pace really changes for “You Just Never Know”. This song is an original older country/bluegrass type of tune. Howe seems at home with this type of tune. The electric guitars are gone with Fielder picking up a dobro and Geoff Goodhue bring in his mandolin. It is well played and not hard on ears at all. Closing things out is a classic Bob Dylan tune “Don't Think Twice, It's All Right”. For this one it is just Freebo and Howe handling the instruments. This one is a showcase for Howe’s sweet voice. She reminds me of a younger Bonnie Koloc in her singing and playing.
There is great collaboration by Freebo and Alice Howe. Some blues tunes are here, but likely not enough to carry over a stage at a blues festival. Alice Howe is primarily a Folk artist. The release will serve well on a mellow night at home or at a quiet club. The covers choices were good and the overall musicianship very well done. Howe pays tribute towards the music from the 60’s-70’s in her own way. Certainly this release is a step forward from her 2017 EP You've Been Away So Long. I look forward to see her growth and direction on her next release and her live development on the road. Reviewed by Mark Nelson Tom Euler – Blues Got My Back Self Produced www.tomeuler.com/ 10 Tracks 35:38 Hartfield VA is the hometown of Tom Euler. He has been active in these early years of his career, winning various songwriting contests. In 2015 he released an EP as the Tom Euler Trio. As a member of The Bobby BlackHat Band, he made it to the IBC semi finals in 2015. Euler appeared on the Bobby BlackHat release Put On Your Red Shoes in 2018. Euler sings, plays guitar and wrote all the tunes for this release. His band mates are Von Jose Roberts (bass), Lucy Kilpatrick (keyboards) and Michael Behlmar (drums). The music overall is blues rock and will make you want to dance. The CD bounces your speakers with the opening track “Blues Got My Back”. This band really hits us hard and has some snappy chorus and solos of guitar and keys. Up next is “Bridge You Ain't Burnt”. The energy is still high, though this one gets much more to the rock side of blues rock. Things slow a bit on “ Played Your Part”. This slower blues rock tune has a bit of a haunting sound to it. Even though the music is slower, it retains power. Lucy Kilpatrick gives us a strong intro to “Rock N Roll These Days”. Beale Street is the location of this song’s origins, and the search for real rock and roll there. This is another higher octane tune. There is some soul in the tune “Broken Soul”. The song is fine, but might be better with a bit of brass carrying it forward. I like the change of pace of “Forgive Me”. Lucy Kilpatrick leads the group with a gospel styled piano introduction to this gospel ballad. This is a major change of pace for the band. “Tricky Business” is an instrumental that will get the crowd up and dancing. The four band mates really find a groove together on this one. There is more of a southern rock feel to “Tough Guy”. It is a gritty barroom blues rock number with stinging guitar and lots of feelings. I like the high energy tune called “More To Life”. It had a good message to it, and is a real toe tapper. The closing cut is “Thoughts Of You”. It is way different than the rest of songs. There is an old time almost jazzy feel to this one. Leon Redbone could have made this one a hit, though it needs a hint of trumpet in the chorus to really make it memorable.
This is a more diverse release than I was expecting. The music was good. Euler will be a performer to keep an eye on going forward. The experience playing with BlackHat will continue to give Euler time to grow and develop is own sounds. He is only in his early 20’s so his career will have many moons to grow. Let’s all give this one a listen, and follow the long term potential of this artist. Reviewed by Mark Nelson Lauren Anderson – Stay Down Self Released www.laurenandersonmusic.com 5 Tracks 16:16
Lauren Anderson is a singer songwriter currently residing in Nashville. This is her 3rd EP release to go with one full length release in 2015 called Truly Me. She released a full length CD in 2015 called Truly Me. Her performing career started in 2014 mixing blues rock with country, soul, rock and Americana. She has a Masters degree in Musical Therapy from the University Of Kansas. Female Vocalist of the Year in 2015 at the Midwest Music Awards was awarded to Anderson. She wrote or co-wrote all 5 tunes here. She sings (she has classical voice training) and plays guitar. She is joined by Jimi Greene (guitar), "Hutch" (bass), John Rodrigue (drums) and William Adkins (keyboards & organ). Anderson and her band rock out on the opener “Honey, Call Me Baby”. She belts this one out with a strong voice and passion. Up next is “Too Little Too Late”. This a soulful ballad with Adkins pushing the song along with his organ playing. The title track “Won't Stay Down” has a fire in it and is a mid tempo blues rocker. The whole band is very tight on this one. Anderson’s trained voice really vibrates through this top notch blues rock track. Emmanuel Echem & Kiren Gupta add their trumpet talents to the great track “Cake”. This soulful tune has a great rhythm and funky guitar to go with the trumpet playing. Closing out the EP is “Wild & Free”. This is rocker about being in life what you want to be. John Rodrigue really keeps the pace up on the drums on this almost 5 minute track. Sandy Ramos co-wrote this tune. This release rocks out more than here long player in the past. That one had more of an American feel to it. I like the original material and the solid production work on this release. Let’s hope the career continues to rise. There is great potential here with Anderson’s great voice and ability to write. The music has a modern feel to it, and that is good. Give this one a listen. Reviewed by Mark Nelson
The Texas Horns—Get Here Quick Severn Records www.facebook.com/thetexashorns3/ 12 Tracks Pick up numerous albums by Texas blues, soul, and Americana artists and chances are you will find Texas Horns artists Mark "Kaz" Kazanoff, John Mills and Al Gomez Jr. heading up the horn section. They have logged many hours performing with artists too numerous to mention. Severn Records has released The Texas Horns latest project entitled Get It Quick featuring guest appearances by vocalists, Curtis Salgado, John Nemeth, Carolyn Wonderland, Gary Nicholson, and Guy Forsyth. If that gets your attention, this list also includes veteran guitarists Ronnie Earl, Anson Funderburgh, Denny Freeman, Derek O'Brien, and Johnny Moeller added to this cavalcade of all-stars. The album opens with the John Mills number "Guitar Town" with Anson Funderburgh and Johnny Moeller on guitar and Guy Forsyth and Carolyn Wonderland on vocals, delivering great support for this red hot horn section. Carolyn Wonderland follows up with powerful vocals and assisted on guitar once again by Johnny Moeller with the electrifying "I’m Doin’ Alright, At Least For Tonight." "Feeling No Pain" showcases the horn section with the entire band playing this soul drenched instrumental. For the funky soul tune "Fix Your Face," Gary Nicholson takes over the vocals and guitar with support by Johnny Moeller on guitar and a guest appearance by Ronnie Earl offering a short but smooth guitar solo. "Better Get Here Quick" is a Mark “Kaz” Kazanoff instrumental track featuring Johnny Moeller on lead guitar. Soul artist John Nemeth is the featured vocalist on "Love Is Gone," with Denny Freeman on guitar and also including an emotionally charged sax solo. The instrumental "2018" could easily march you right down the streets of New Orleans, since it is as festive as The Mardi Gras at the height of the celebration. Curtis Salgado is the guest vocalist adding his expressive, soulful blues sound to "Sundown Talkin'." The funky sound of Mark “Kaz” Kazanoff's "Funky Ape" blends keyboard synthesizers to the powerful horn solos. Gary Nicholson returns on vocals and guitar on "Soulshine" for some old school R&B featuring guest Anson Funderburgh on lead guitar. Texas saxophone artist Mark “Kaz” Kazanoff takes over lead vocals on "You Can't Be Serious," with the guitar team of Johnny Moeller on guitar, Derek O'Brien on slide guitar, and Jon Del Toro Richardson on lead Guitar. This star studded project by The Texas Horns is finalized with the John Mills instrumental "Truckload of Trouble" featuring the dynamic duo of Ronnie Earl and skilled Texas veteran Denny Freeman on guitars, with numerous horn solos to satisfy all your blues tastes. The Texas Horns consists of tenor saxophonist Mark “Kaz” Kazanoff, John Mills on baritone sax, and trumpet player Adalberto Gomez. They have assembled not only a group of fabulous guest musicians for this album, but also selected the experienced rhythm section of Chris Maresh and Russell Jackson (B.B. King Band) sharing bass, with Tommy Taylor and John Bryant sharing drums. Joining them on various tracks are keyboardists Red Young and Nick Connolly for one of the hottest albums released by The Texas Horns that you will want to add to your collection. Reviewed by Rick Davis
Men of the Swamp—Live Black Frost Music packratssmokehouse.com/ discography/231/ 13 Tracks From the depths of the swamps of Florida, comes the swamp blues of Packrat's Smoke House Live on two separate disks recorded at two different locations with the first taped live at Babe James Center, New Smyrna Beach, Florida and the second recorded at Bradfordville Blues Club. Packrat's Smoke House Band consists of Anthony "Packrat" Thompson on lead vocals, guitar, and harmonica, Robert "Lightning Boy" Thomas on lead guitar and vocals, Aaron "Pops" Watson on drums, Kenny Sly on bass, and Peter Beers on keys.
Disk one opens with a ballad about the Florida orange groves around Shiloh the night "jack frost" wiped out the crops in 1982. With his rough, gritty vocals, Packrat Thompson begins his tale of the "Night Jack Frost Killed Possum Brown," with a slow blues tune delivered with that a swamp blues groove led by Lightning Boy Thomas on guitar. The swamp blues continues, this time with Lightning Boy on vocals with that same raw delta blues sound and the band laying down an altered version of the Junior Wells classic "Hoodoo Man Blues" entitled now "Hoo Doo Blues." Packrat's Smoke House Band calls on the late great Jimmy Reed for a stellar version of Reed's "Hush Hush," shifting to a Chicago style shuffle with old school style guitar licks from Lightning and authentic Jimmy Reed style harp from Packrat. The band delivers some Mississippi hill country blues as Packrat describes his "Low Down Rider." With a hypnotizing Chicago groove, Packrat's vocals are true to form on their rendition of Howlin' Wolf's "Smokestack Lightnin'." Packrat brings back the Cajun blues style of Tony Joe White with his tale of "95 South," a ballad reminiscent of the swampy groove of New Orleans and Delta blues heard on their 2012 title track "Cadillac In The Swamp," with electric energy of Chicago blues. Packrat continues with his a traditional harmonica style on Jimmy Reed's "Caress Me Baby." The band gets down and dirty, combining some Texas style blues boogie with Chicago style boogie chillin' to create their own brand, recording the track "Smokehouse Boogie." The band completes the show with a final dose of swamp blues, echoing Packrat's raw, greasy harmonica style with the story of the hoodoo woman on the track "Hoo Doo Woman Blues." The second show at Bradfordville Blues Club features four extended versions of Packrat's Smoke House Band and their band of swamp blues, taking you back to 1981 at the Chicago Blues Festival with Muddy Waters performing a spectacular version of "You Don't Have To Go." They continue with a late night blues original tune "Sue City Sue." Down home blues track "Them Creepin' Blues," with a mesmerizing guitar groove, sets the stage for more harp and bona fide swamp blues from this Florida blues group. They complete the Bradfordville with the second live track entitled "Hoo Doo Woman Blues." Men Of The Swamp Live is a testimony to the swamp blues at it's best. It has the same authenticity as Louisiana's own Omar Kent Dykes and his 2005 release Muddy Springs Road or his single "Mississippi Hoodoo Man." You owe it to yourself to pick up Men Of The Swamp Live. Reviewed by Rick Davis
J.P. Soars - Let Go of the Reins Whiskey Bayou Records www.jpsoars.com 11 tracks J.P. Soars brings us a brand new CD produced by Tab Benoit and recorded over a week in Tab's Whiskey Bayou studio in Houma, LA. The bands is Soar's Red Hots drummer Chris Peet on the bass and Tab on the drums. Tillis Verdin plays on 6 tracks with his hot B3 organ. This came together quickly and resulted in a very great album of new and interesting takes on some cool stuff. Credits for songs are noted and the rest are originals by Soars.
Things start off with blues, New Orleans and some funk blended up in a stew of sweet stuff. The repetitive guitar riff gives it funk, Soars' gutsy vocals and stinging guitar are firmly rooted in blues and the vibe is NOLA- quite interesting and well done. The guitar is predominant and really super here. Verdin's B3 also adds nicely to the mix and offers a good solo to boot. "Been Down So Long" is the opener which is a spiced up and sped up rework by Soars of J.B. LeNoir's old cut. Next it's Soars take on the Ozark Mountain Daredevils with "If You Wanna Get to Heaven." The take is not the pop rock of the OMDs but a more gritty and grinding style with Soars' big guitar and gruff vocals behind a similar driving beat. The 1973 tunes gets a big facelift here with Soars in charge and the organ in back giving fine support. "Freddy King Thing" is J.P.'s take on Freddy with a sweet guitar lead and driving beat. Soars growls in his inimitable style and offers up more fantastic guitar. The backline is driving and the B3 is helping out, too. Next is the title track that opens with some interesting guitar work, blending hill country and a sort of psychedelic approach to good effect. Soars sings with emotion, the guitar is primal and modern at the same time, and the beat gets the pulse up a little. Quite interesting and effective stuff! "Crow's Nest" is a sweet instrumental with a jazzy feel. The B3 wails, the guitar picks out some nice stuff and the groove is cool. J.P. and Tillis let it all hang out here. Next is a co-written song with Tab entitled "Lonely Fire." A slow ballad, the song's simplicity is a big selling point with restrained guitar and organ and Soars giving us a toned down set of vocals. The acoustic guitar work is big and meaty, with a Spanish guitar feel. "Have Mercy On My Soul" is a free wheeling and dirty cut with Soars in full growl and a heavy beat. Soars solos twice in similar fashion, with some hot licks to thoroughly enjoy. "Let It Ride" is a nice country bluegrass cut written by Randy Whatley. Soars sings like he's getting ready to be a Gospel singer (well, that's a stretch) and plays some super pedal steel guitar. "Minor Blues" is a Django Reinhardt cut that is a dark instrumental with an air of mystery and intrigue. Soars plays his guitar evocatively and it's just another cool cut to add to the mix. "Time To Be Done" is a straightforward funky blues rocker with a nice
groove and great organ work. The guitar gives us a funkiness as Soars soars. The album concludes with some banjo and slide in the downhome "Old Silver Bridge." Soars sings a bit, but it's mostly a pretty banjo piece with layers of the instrument to enjoy. Soars mixes it up well and gives us an eclectic but very cool ending this album. There is lots to enjoy here with great original cuts and some fantastic takes on some older tunes. Soars and Company are imaginative and musically adroit, offering an interesting set of tunes with variety and outstanding musicianship. What's not to like here? This is all great stuff and J.P.'s fans will love it. New to Soars? Then this is a great example of what he can do. Benoit's helped produce and pull out a super set of tunes that will make your summer travels a lot of fun as you savor this CD over and over again. I highly recommend it! Reviewed by Steve Jones
Coco Montoya at Nordlof Center The fabulous Coco Montoya is coming back to the Nordlof Center’s JR Sullivan Theater on Thursday, October 17th at 7pm. He was here over three years ago with a large crowd in attendance. Advanced tickets are available for $20 online at CrossroadsBluesSociety.com or at Kortman’s Gallery, Culture Shock and Guzzardo’s in Rockford and Pig Mind’s Brewing Company in Machesney Park. Tickets at the door will be $25. we will have advanced tickets available at all our regular shows for this, too. Coco’s brand new album on Alligator Records Coming In Hot was just released on August 24th. Produced by Tony Braunagel, the CD has 11 songs that go from white hot rocking stuff like the title track to ballads with everything in between. Smoking hot guitar and emotional vocals with great songs fill this CD. Grab a copy today and enjoy Coco’s music and then come see him in October! The CD review is on page 23.This is a show you will not want to miss! Get your tickets now! They are going fast.
Ben Levin – Before Me VizzTone Label Group VTBL 002 www.benlevinpiano.com 12 songs/43 minutes Gifted pianist/vocalist Ben Levin made quite a splash at last year’s Blues Blast Music Awards, garnering nominations for debut album of the year and the Sean Costello Award for rising artists, and he continues his ascent with this beautifully conceived disc, which includes contributions from some of the most important folks in the business. With old-school sensibilities and a ton of talent, Levin is carrying forward the sound of traditional blues keyboard, and has been a welcome breath of new life in a community that lost both David Maxwell and Chicagoan Barrelhouse Chuck Goering to cancer in recent years, leaving a stylistic hole that many experts feared never would be filled. Still only 19 years old and a rising sophomore at his hometown University Of Cincinnati in Ohio, Ben began playing professionally at age 11 alongside his father, Aron, in The Heaters. He now plays about 100 gigs a year in both solo and group formats. A 2018 semi-finalist in the International Blues Challenge solo-duo category, he’s an international talent whose travels have taken him to festival appearances in France and the Netherlands. This is Levin’s second CD, a welcome follow-up to his debut 2017 release, Ben’s Blues. He’s joined here by two true blues veterans, both of whom have been working with him live in the past year or so. They include former Muddy Waters guitarist Bob Margolin and Arizona-based award-winning harmonica player Bob Corritore. The rhythm section is composed of Chris Douglas on upright bass and vocals and Oscar Bernal on drums. The legendary Philip Paul, the 93-year-old Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer — who served as studio percussionist at King Records from 1952 to 1965, laying down the beat for Little Willie John’s “Fever,” Wynonie Harris’ “Good Rockin’ Tonight” and Freddie King’s “Hideaway” and “Tore Down,” among other chart-toppers – sits in for two cuts and frequently appears with Levin when he’s booked in the Queen City. Adding to the mix on this collection of six originals and six covers are Ben’s dad Aron, who provides six-string on five tunes, percussionist Stan Ginn, and vocalists Mel Hatch Douglas and Kennedy McPherson, all of whom make a single guest appearance. Levin displays a strong left hand and light touch with the right as he kicks off Big Bill Broonzy’s “I Feel So Good” to open the disc with the full band joining in after a few brief bars. Like all of the material here, it swings slightly behind the beat, and it comes
across with a strong feel of the ‘40s thanks to individual solos from Ben, Margolin and Corritore. The original “Pappy” describes an older friend and features some sweet rapid-fire signature accents on the high keys and delightfully delicate barrelhouse. Ben updates Jay McShann’s familiar “Confessin’ The Blues” as a rollicking instrumental, trading off licks with guitar and harp, before launching into a pair of self-penned numbers. The stoptime “Before Me” would fit comfortably in the ‘50s with a vocal sound and piano delivery that’s reminiscent of Fats Domino. The New Orleans feel continues with “Creole Kitchen,” a more modern instrumental that would be more suited to Allen Toussaint before a slow-and-steady take on Freddie King’s 1961 recording of “Lonesome Whistle Blues.” Two more originals — the slow blues, “So Soon,” which delivers a cautionary message about drinking and one-night love affairs, and the pendulum perfect “Load Off My Back” – precede a driving cover of the James Cotton/Otis Spann 1965 pleaser “Lightning” and the easy, greasy “I Wanna Hug Ya, Kiss Ya, Squeeze Ya,” a minor hit for the Griffin Brothers a decade earlier. “Open Late,” a slow-and steady instrumental co-written with Margolin and Corritore, brings the action to a close. Folks like Leroy Carr, Sunnyland Slim, Pinetop Perkins, David Maxwell and Barrelhouse Chuck all live on through the talents of Ben Levin. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up and give it a good listen. It’s available through most major retailers. If you like traditional blues piano as much as I do, you’ll be beaming throughout. Reviewed by Marty Gunther
Shaun Murphy - Reason To Try Vision Wall Records shaunmurphyband.com 14 tracks What do Meatloaf, Eric Clapton, Little Feat and Bob Seger have in common? They all have produced and released music with Shaun Murphy. Meatloaf and Shaun made an album together, were signed to Motown Records at the same time and also did two plays together. Clapton and Shaun did an album together. Shaun fronted Little Feat for 15 years and produced lots of music with them. Shaun has been an integral part of Bob Segar's recorded and live music. Heck, she also worked with , the Moody Blues, John Hiatt, and Bruce Hornsby on top of those folks. Shaun has been a huge part of the music scene for a long time and her solo career has also been an amazing one. We blues fans get to most appreciate Shaun is in her fantastic solo work. Shaun and her band have played many a festival and gig that blues fans have been able to enjoy and she has graced the stage at our Blues Blast awards several times, including her double win in 2013 where she won Best Female Artist and Best Contemporary Album. She continues her superb solo career with this new album that I am sure will be a huge success. Murphy's band are Tom DelRossi on drums, John Marcus on bass, Eric Robert on keys and two fine guitar players in Kenne Cramer and Tommy Stillwell. Cramer and Stillwell swap lead on guitar and share the lead on three tracks, too. Miqui Gutierrez appears here on sax. Roberts does all the B3 organ work and Kevin McKendree provides the piano and synthesizer. McKendree also produced and mixed the CD. Shaun opens with a slick R&B cut entitled "Hurt Me Good," written by Nashville based Daryl Burgess. This one's got a slick and funky groove and a great guitar solo. Murphy shows her chops and delivers a fine performance with tons of feeling. "Thang For You" follows, a pretty ballad with some some excellent sax work that adds to the sultry and sexy feeling of the cut. Next up is "Turn Me On," a gritty blues rocker that Murphy nails. The guitar solo also evokes the feel of he song well along with the cool, driving beat. The tempo turns way down for "Reason to Try," a slow blues with some very nice "churchy" organ work along with piano to add to the mix. Few singers can take you to church, the darker side of town or rock out as Murphy can- we is equally at ease in all styles and this one's another winner. "Dancing In The Sun" is a light and breezy cut with Murphy calling out to all of us to stop abusing, fighting, warring and such and get together and do what the song title says. "Can't Blame Nobody But Me" is a jazzy and bluesy tune with Murphy once again emoting and testifying. It starts out slow and then moves into a slow but steady number about not recognizing that what's going on in the relationship is her fault. Sax, piano and organ are again effective in support. "Love The Man" gives us some fuzzy
guitar work and Shaun offers advice as to how to keep your man around. Murphy again sings with emotion and the boogie woogie piano and guitar make this one loads of fun. "Don't Come Crying To Me" is another sweet blues rock ballad with another short but sweet guitar solo. The title of "Road House Rockin'" says it all; a big, driving beat, guitar and organ wailing and Murphy rocking to the groove. This one is also a lot of fun and a great dance number. he following "Power Of Love" is an even more raucous and powerful rocking cut. Powerful vocals by Shaun and her backup singers and a stinging solo on guitar make this one great. "Welcome to Bluesville" returns to a more 'sedate" format with Murphy giving a cool performance on this one about being in and feeling the land of the blues. More nice guitar work and a restrained but pretty solo are featured. "Rumor Mill" picks the pace back up as Murphy sings about something we all have experienced. The rumor mill spreading lies is something nasty and never meant to be helpful and Murphy grits out a other nice performance. Guitar and organ shine once again. "Someday" is another ballad, this one lamentful and full of feeling. The organ and guitar help set the mood with continued excellent work; the guitar solo was especially quite emotive. The CD concludes with "Same Old You" as Shaun sings about her man using the same ol moves, remarks, etc., as he remains what the title states. She clearly puts that man in his place and the band remains stalwart and strong finishing up the CD as they began. A final sweet solo of the guitar helps fill things out, too! This is a superb album of 14 memorable cuts by Murphy and her band. Whether she is taking you to church, taking you to school or taking you out (or upstairs) for some fun, she nails each and every performance here. Shaun's got a lot of fine albums to her name; this one is really well done top to bottom, filled with emotion, great songs, outstanding music and her spot on vocals. This one is a winner and I am sure it will garner attention as it gets played- very highly recommended! Reviewed by Steve Jones
See you in 2020 for the 11th Annual Festival featuring Sons and Daughters of the Blues
The Nick Moss Band featuring Dennis Gruenling—Lucky Guy Alligator Records www.nickmossband.com/ 14 Tracks/57:24 It has been a great year already for Nick Moss and his stellar band. In May, they arrived in Memphis riding high on the success of their first Alligator Records release, The High Cost Of Low Living, which received two Blues Music Award nominations along with one for the band. And after twenty-six nominations over the last sixteen years, Moss finally heard his name called as the recipient of the 2019 Blues Music Award for Traditional Male Blues Artist. Adding to the enjoyment, his partner-in-crime, Dennis Gruenling, received the award for Blues Instrumentalist – Harmonica on his third nomination. And, after utilizing several players after Nick Fane left the band, Moss settled on one of the finest bass players on the planet, Rodrigo Mantovani, formerly of the Igor Prado Band, as the newest member of his exceptional aggregation. Now the band hits us with another superlative release, recorded at Greaseland Studios under the watchful eye of the “Shaman of all things recorded,” Kid Andersen, who also plays a variety of stringed instruments. Mantovani joins long-time drummer Patrick Seals to create a fluid, dynamic rhythm section that lays down one deep groove after another. Keyboard ace Taylor Streiff has come into his own, building on lessons learned from listening to Otis Spann and studying with the late Barrelhouse Chuck, and now sharing a personal take on the Chicago blues piano traditions. With the veterans Moss and Gruenling leading the way, the group burns through one masterful performance after another, each one brimming with exhilarating energy and inspiration. The disc opens with a romp through “312 Blood,” a Moss tribute to his Chicago area roots, with Streiff breaking out his Wurlitzer keyboard. The lone cover, “Ugly Woman,” is a rousing shuffle with the band straining at the reins, just waiting for the chance to cut loose. Moss delivers a humorous vocal, then lights things up with some of his six-string magic. When Gruenling, Count Chromatic himself, takes over on two tracks he wrote, he takes listeners back to the sounds of the early days of rock & roll. “Movin' On My Way” cruises along in overdrive, with Moss and Andersen trading licks after an inspired Streiff solo. Then Gruenling jumps in to finish things off, blowing a torrid stream of horn-like sounds on his chromatic harmonica. His other original, “Wait And See,” has Streiff plunking away on piano underneath Gruenling's raw vocal. His dynamic harp blowing and some blistering work from Moss takes things to a whole different level. Songs like “Tell Me There's Nothing Wrong” and “Simple Minded” illustrates the band's complete mastery of the Chicago blues traditions that Moss learned in his formative years from mentors
like Jimmy “Fast Fingers” Dawkins, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, and Jimmy Rogers. Andersen brightens up the latter cut with some well-placed mandolin accompaniment that sparks an aggressive response from Moss. The title song, “Lucky Guy,” features an earnest vocal from Moss, as the band members play complimentary parts that coalesce into a thrilling sound that can only be accomplished when each member truly listens to what is going on around him. Two instrumentals, “Hot Zucchini” and “Cutting The Monkey's Tail,” testify that they excel at a variety of styles, settling into a deep, funky groove on the former number with Streiff showcasing his abilities on the Hammond B-3 organ, while Gruenling blows some richly detailed lines on the latter track.
Another standout track is “Me And My Friends,” a joyful ode from Moss promising a memorable night out with the guys, with the rest of the band on backing vocals. “Full Moon Ache” adds some rockabilly flavoring to the mix, complete with Moss howling away, possibly inspired by Gruenling's beautifully crafted solo. Moss lays down a sparkling rhythm guitar part on “As Good As It Gets,” setting Gruenling up for a spell-binding harp foray that is worth multiple listens. Moss takes some of the powers that be to task on “Sanctified, Holy And Hateful,” an impassioned slow blues with plenty of stinging guitar. The closing tune, “The Comet,” features Monster Mike Welch on lead guitar on a tribute to the late Michael Ledbetter, who worked closely with both guitar players. The somber track has a stripped-down arrangement with Welch giving voice to the depth of their loss with his intimate, forlorn slide playing. It can be hard to top an award-nominated recording. The Nick Moss Band certainly succeeds, setting the bar even higher on Lucky Guy. Listeners get a compelling batch of original material in a variety of styles to keep things interesting. When these five fellows are making music together, the world is a better place. Make no mistake......this is one of the finest real blues albums you will hear this year. Or any year! Reviewed by Mark Thompson
We’ve Come a Long Way in 10 Years
Mojomama – Red White and Blues JRO Publishing www.mojomama.net 9 tracks Mojomama delivers funky, bluesy rock that is never boring in their newest effort, Red White and Blues. Mojomama has been rocking the Colorado area for more than 14 years, and have built a solid fan base that reaches much further. Founding members Jessica and Paul Rogalski have evolved Mojomama with regular live performances and fresh new music. Mojomama spices up traditional blues styles with a splash of funk, a dab of jazz, and female vocals. Paul Rogalski on bass and Taylor Edwards on drums create a tight rhythm section for Bob Murnahan on guitars and Jessica Rogalskin on lead vocals. Special guests Joe Jogerst Hammond rocks the organ while background vocalists Kerry Pastine and Cass Clayton add depth.
when it falls apart.” And that organ… oh yeah. A.W. Cardinal takes back the microphone in “As I Lay Dying,” which is more laid back than the other tracks. Starting with some cool drum work, “High Noon” is totally groovy and a whole lot of fun. “The Red Devil Himself” offers a bit of jazzy guitar with a plucky rhythm. “Big Smoke” is a big ol’ puff of classic blues about a current global issue – fires and floods resulting from climate change. “52nd St Strut” has a hard-boiled sound, with the horns popping behind Jasmine’s vocals. “Wayward” lopes along with a swaggering beat and cool guitar. The final track, “Lost and Wild,” is a late night tune with a classic vibe and sweet piano. Bare Knuckles & Brawn is one of the best CDs I’ve heard this year – it’s got a nice variety of jazzy blues, great instrumentals and very enjoyable vocals. Reviewed by Lynn Hetzler
“Blues Sister” starts things off right with Jessica’s voice rising over a party atmosphere. Jessica delivers a soulful wail to open “Sing You the Blues” before Edwards ramps up the pace on drums. The beat to this song grabs hold and never lets go. “Without Your Love” has a slower, harder-driving beat that’ll put some swagger in your step.
Billie Williams – Hell to Pay www.billiewilliamsmusic.com/ Self-released 11 tracks, 38 minutes
“Rise Above” is a slower work that begins with guitar work reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix; Jessica’s voice has shades of Susan Tedeschi. “The Big Easy” brings the tempo back up a bit and adds just a dash of oldfashioned rock and roll. “Lazy River” has a funky beat and “Believe” has a sophisticated, almost urban feel. “Let’s Go Out” is a whole lot of rockabilly blues fun. “Red White and Blue” is a patriotic anthem reminds us all that we won’t “stand for this tyranny; we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Billie Williams has been a professional vocalist since she was in her teens, and co-founded her first band at the ripe old age of 16. Today her “muscular” voice and strong song writing skills are attracting critical acclaim and an ever-widening fan base. In fact, Billie Williams was inducted into the New York Blues Hall of Fame in 2015.
All in all, I really like this CD. It has a spunky beat and interesting lyrics all the way through.
Released in July of 2019, Hell to Pay is Williams’ second with Grammywinning producer Danny Blume. The album is a mixture of blues, rock, funk and soul. The CD features Billie Williams on vocals with Stew Cutler on guitar for most songs, Jeremy Mage on keys, Double Z on bass, Tony Allen on drums, and Rob Sussman, Dan Levine, Seneca Black, Jim Hynes, Stan Killian and Chriz Eminizer on horns. Williams wrote all the songs on this CD except for “You,” which she co-wrote with Kenny Harris and “Drink From My Cup,” which she wrote with Stew Cutler.
Reviewed by Lynn Hetzler Blue Moon Marquee – Bare Knuckles & Brawn Blue Moon Marquee Music www.bluemoonmarquee.com/ 11 tracks Bare Knuckles & Brawn is the third fulllength album from this Canadian Gypsy Blues duo, A.W. Cardinal (vocals and guitar) and Jasmine Colette (bass/vocals). Cardinal and Colette are normally a duo, but they have invited Darcy Phillips (keyboards), James Hollywood Badger (drums), Jerry Cook (saxophone), Jack Garton (trumpet), and Paul Pigat (guitar) to play along on Bare Knuckles & Brawn. “Big Black Mamba” starts with wonderfully rough vocal delivery of some great lyrics, such as, “I asked for water/She brought me gasoline.” Next up is “Smoke Rings For My Rider,” which offers a big band sound with a cheerful base line. “Fever Flickering Flame” has a catchy beat, playful piano, and a boss horn. “Hard Times Hit Parade” sounds like a mysterious seductress stepped out from around a dark urban street corner to offer you something irresistible. Colette takes lead vocals on this song, with lyrics like “Play the fool/Go on, spend all your time/Cursing out the other guy/Who laughs
Billie Williams does not mess around. Hell to Pay deals with heartache, politics and the dirtier side of life. “Damn” is a breakup song with some absolutely smokin’ hot organ. “Cold November” is dramatic and theatrical emotional rollercoaster. “Start All Over” and “You” are more upbeat and danceable. “Hell to Pay” is a bit of cool, gritty funk that is big enough to handle Williams’ powerful vocals. “Hour by Hour” has a timeless film noir feeling while “Drink From My Cup” is a bouncy tune. “Lost in the Wilderness” brings back the badass organ and Williams’ big voice with a whiff of gospel. “My Everything” is a flirty love ballad. “Take These Dreams” has a simple, earnest feeling. “Ten Million Sisters” is arguably the strongest song on the CD. This anthem for “Me Too” movement starts with a chain gang stomp and ends with the phrase, “10 million sisters gonna set me free.” Reviewed by Lynn Hetzler
Bobby Rush - Sitting On Top Of The Blues Deep Rush Records www.bobbyrushbluesman.com/ 11 tracks This is Bobby Rush's 75th career release. He's won a dozen Blues Music Awards, was honored with a Blues Blast Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award and has now released 26 studio albums. This is prototypical Bobby Rush. A powerful and soulful recording, Rush songs like a young man turning in 11 new cuts. The CD starts with "Hey Hey Bobby Rush," a semiautobiographical fun number with lots of big production sound. A funky groove, guitar, organ, horns and a fantastic backing band give Rush a big canvass to do his stuff on and he does it. His vocals and harp are traditional Bobby Rush and it's a great hook to get the album going. Next is "Good Stuff," a bouncing and sweet number with harp and a fine groove going to make it fun. Rush sings about skin tight britches and talks about his woman with what the title says. Bobby doing what Bobby does best- singing about sexy women. This one is much more stripped down than the prior cut, and the next cut brings back the big production. A funky tune entitled "Get Out Of Here (Dog Named Bo), the topic is a father chasing his daughter's suitor away because he's a no good blues man. He tries to elope to Vegas but the entire family is waiting with the dog named Bo. Bobby gives us some harp in this funky tune that's more good ole Bobby Rush. "You Got the Goods on You" is more Bobby singing about his woman who delivers and apparently carries the goods well to boot. The bouncing "Sweet Lizzy" comes up next with nice piano added tot he organ work. Rush sings about Lizzy who has got him dizzy. Rush blows some cool harp and the backing singers come out in support. "Bobby Rush Shuffle" is a sweet instrumental shuffle with Rush laying out some great harp licks. Well done! "Recipe For Love" is next up. It's a sweet country blues with acoustic guitar and Rush's vocals. Stripped way down, it's emotional and really good stuff. Rush let's it hang out vocally and then layers on some sweet harp with the guitar playing along. "Pooky Poo" is a song about his woman that he claims he works two jobs for. A slower lounge tune, Rush gives us another one about his woman to savor. A jazzy number with a little guitar, a little organ and lots of Bobby. And that's a good thing. Bobby goes full soul with "Slow Motion," a tune abut how he wants to take his time. Bobby gives us some deep soul as he takes us on this ride where he tells his woman how he wants to deliver. Things pick up with "Shake Til' You Get Enough," a big funky cut with the band and backing singers in full force. There's a deep grove going and Rush blows a little harp as he sings about shakin' here and there until you get enough. Rush completes the set with "Bowlegged Woman." He has a lot of fun with this and it's a great conclusion to another great Bobby Rush CD. Rush gives us an assortment of his tunes about the women he
loves to love and injects his humor and musicality to produce another fun CD to enjoy. Rush adds to his vast repertoire of work and it's hard to beleive he's got 75 releases and 26 CDs. He still knows how to deliver the goods and entertain. If you're a fan you'll love this. If you're somehow new to Bobby Rush then this is a great little primer into his style and work. It's hard to beleive it's been three years since Porcupine Meat. Bobby is 78 years young (he'll be 79 in November) and he still enjoys performing as he did decades ago. Here's another one to add to his fantastic catalogue of outstanding music! Reviewed by Steve Jones Coco Montoya - Coming In Hot Alligator Records www.cocomontoyaband.com 11 tracks Coco Montoya can take a mundane tune and turn it into a gem of his own. He takes a nice mix of covers and originals on this new Alligator release and turns them into a beautiful “stew” of blues that the listener can truly savor. Montoya began his professional career as Albert Collins drummer and then went on to play guitar with John Mayall, following Eric Clapton, Peter Green and Mick Taylor and joining Walter Trout in the band. Folks took notice of his guitar prowess and he began to venture out on his own in the 1990s and then released his first Alligator Album Suspicion in 2000. He cut Can’t Look Back in 2002 for Alligator and Dirty Deal in 2007. He left but returned to Alligator in 2017 with Hard Truth and continues with this hot new album. Joining Coco are Mike Finnigan on all things keyboard, Johnny Lee Schel (and Billy Watts on three cuts) on rhythm guitar, Bob Glaub on bass (Mike Mennell on four tracks) and Tony Braunagel on drums and percussion. These guys have played with the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Bonnie Raitt, Jimmy Buffett, John Fogerty, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Etta James, Jerry Lee Lewis, Taj Mahal, Eric Burdon, and more. Finnigan is especially impressive on piano, Wurlitzer, and Hammond organs. The Album starts with a great cut entitled “Good Man Gone” featuring some stinging and poignant guitar work and some gritty vocals. A good driving beat from the backline and organ and some great solos by Coco grab the listener. Next is the title track, another hot number with more fantastic soloing on the guitar. Montoya is blazing as he plays and sings about coming in hot for his girl at 500 mph! It’s a cool and jumping cut. John Cleary appears on piano here to spice up the mix even more. “Stop Runnin’ Away from My Love” slows things way down as Coco testifies to his woman about making up her mind who she will choose. Montoya also offers a slick solo mid song and then later takes us home on guitar as the song fades. “Lights Are On But Nobody’s Home” is from Albert Collins and it’s a dirty, slow blues with some wickedly hot guitar backed up by Hammond
organ. It’s an impressive piece. The following cut is “Stone Survivor” with a little honky tonk piano, nice backing vocals. It’s a mid temp blues rocker with more great guitar licks and a solid beat. “What Am I?” is a pretty ballad written by Warren Haynes with some pretty cool guitar to spice up the flavor of the tune. Very Allman Brothers-like here. Montoya howls on vocals and the organ fills in behind he and his vocals and guitar. The classic Bobby Bland cut “Ain’t It A Good Thing” is next and Montoya gives it his own spin with a bit of a tempo uplift and some great backing and then lead vocals by Shaun Murphy and another great guitar solo bu Coco. More special organ work is supporting the piece, too- Murphy and Montoya nail this as a duo. Up next is the pensive “I Wouldn’t Want to Be You.” This one’s got a little funk going and has a nice groove to it. Montoya sings and plays with both precision and artistry as he covers this one. “Trouble” is a bouncy midtempo blues rocker with more stinging guitar and cool organ work. Allison August’s “Witness Protection” comes from her 2016 CD Holy Water and it’s a great blues cut for Coco. Piano backs the musical progression as Montoya sings with authority and plays his axe as few can. “Water To Wine” concludes the set; it’s a great shuffle mixing blues an gospel and the has some more fantastic piano work in support and Finnigan finally gets a solo to let it all air out– well done!.
The opener “Mr Smith” is a full band production, a swinging, horn-heavy sound as we learn about the much talked-about Mr Smith who is playing a local club. It’s a great start to the album and is followed by another typical Delbert lyric as he asks “If I hock my guitar how the hell am I supposed to play the blues?”. Stuart Duncan’s violin brings a gypsy jazz feel to “No Chicken On The Bone” in which Delbert has fallen for the girl in the pizza joint. Delbert lays down the rules (no phone calls, no TV, no visitors) to his girl on “Let’s Get Down Like We Used To”, the clarinet adding an old-timey feel. Accordion gives a border sound to “Gone To Mexico” which also benefits from the twin saxes of Dana and Jim, Delbert again sounding like he wants to get away from the rat race.
Reviewed by Steve Jones
“Lulu” sounds like a bad lot and Delbert is certainly curious as to why she has returned: “I thought she burned all her bridges when she left last year. Why don’t you do us all a favour, honey, and just disappear”. Another song that tells a story is “Ruby & Jules”, Jules having a temper but Ruby able to calm him down and avoid trouble, a song with a stripped-back production and some fine, jazz-inflected piano. “Loud Mouth” has bluesy guitar from Yates McKendree as Dad Kevin rolls the 88’s to good effect as Delbert puts down someone who talks too much - “You’re not really a fool, you just act like one” - and “Down In The Mouth” is a roadhouse rocker; two songs with similar titles and great playing. “Any Other Way” is a quiet ballad with Delbert’s worldweary vocals over brushed drums and piano, Dana nailing a superb, breathy sax solo. The full horn section returns for “A Fool Like Me” which is another typical Delbert song, witty lyrics with a self-deprecating tone and a honky-tonk feel from the piano, trombone and clarinet before he looks back at his youth in “Can’t Get Up”, concluding that we all end up having to take things more seriously.
Delbert McClinton And Self-Made Men + Dana – Tall, Dark & Handsome Hot Shot Records www.delbert.com 14 tracks/40 minutes
The album closes with two rather downbeat pieces: “Temporarily Insane” finds Delbert musing on the perils of old age and memory loss, just Kevin’s piano for most of the song, and a long silence then precedes “A Poem”, a one minute spoken word piece with piano and acoustic guitar, all sounding a little off-key. A slightly underwhelming finale to what is otherwise another strong album from the veteran entertainer.
Whether kicking in the after burners or offering restraint, Montoya shows us he is a brilliant and special talent on the guitar. He plays and sings with authority and offers here a great CD that will garner lots and lots of attention in the next cycle of blues awards. II really enjoyed this CD and most highly recommend it for your enjoyment!
A new Delbert McClinton disc with his eclectic range and often humorous lyrics is always welcome. Delbert is again with The Self-Made Men, but this time female sax player Dana Robbins gets separate billing! The SMM consist of Bob Britt on guitars, Kevin McKendree on keys, Glenn Worf on bass, Joe Maher on drums and Dana Robbins on tenor sax; Quentin Ware on trumpet, Jim Hoke on clarinet/baritone sax and Roy Agee on trombone augment the horn section on a few cuts; B/Vs come from Robert Bailey, Vicki Hampton, Wendy Moten, Delaney McClinton and Pat McLaughlin. Delbert had a hand in writing all the songs and handles the lead vocals but appears to have left his harmonica at home for this disc.
Reviewed by John Mitchell
Arsen Shomakhov – Rain City Blues Self-Release www.ArsenShomakhov.ca 10 tracks/35 minutes Arsen Shomakhov was born in Russia, first appeared at the IBC’s in 2005 and relocated to Vancouver, Canada, in 2008, hence the title of this album, his fourth. Arsen wrote all the material, with help from Darrell Mayes on half the songs, and travelled (like so many in recent times) to Greaseland studios in California to record with Kid Andersen who produced, recorded, mixed and mastered the album, as well as playing bass and keys – the renaissance man of the blues! Arsen plays all the guitar parts and sings with drum duties split between Alexander Pettersen and June Core; Aki Kumar adds harp to one cut. The opening track is an amusing tale as Arsen seems to have lots of girls but is still looking for a “Full Time Lover”. Arsen plays some good, twanging guitar over a thumping rhythm section with Aki’s harp adding some nice embellishments. Arsen has a solid, clear vocal style and adapts well to the variety of music on offer here, as he immediately shows with the tale of excess drinking and the inevitable hangover entitled “No More!”, a piece of pure rock and roll driven brilliantly by Alexander’s powerful drums, Kid’s piano and Arsen’s busy riffs. “Sunset Beach” drops the pace for a soulful tune with a lilting refrain, Arsen sounding a lot like the late Stephen Bruton on this one. Arsen then shows us a heavier style of guitar on another ‘hangover’ song, “Women And Whiskey – is there a theme developing here? The riff here recalls SRV but Arsen immediately shifts styles with the jump blues instrumental “Strolling In San José”, Kid using vibraphone and double bass to accentuate the cool jazz feel of the tune. As June Core takes over the drum seat Arsen gets out his slide for the title track “Rain City Blues”, a thumping Elmore James boogie tribute to Arsen’s adopted city where he went for love but now finds himself alone. “Boogaloo!” has a funkier feel with Arsen using wah-wah dubbed over his core riff before another instrumental entitled “Three Arrows”. With a bass line that recalls “On The Road Again”, Arsen plays some interesting guitar which, to these ears, brings in elements of European folk music (perhaps his Russian background?). Played over a funky rhythm, Arsen adds some fiery guitar on “Sitting On A Fence” while the lyrics betray a cynical view of the world as Arsen ponders whether prevaricating over a decision is in fact the best way forward, that way you don’t make a mistake: “sometimes it makes perfect sense to be sitting on a fence”. The album concludes with a short instrumental “Hello, Little Bird”, a sort of hoedown with tambourine and foot stomp providing the rhythm over which Arsen duets with himself on slide and electric guitars. Overall an enjoyable album which provides a good showcase for Arsen’s vocal and instrumental range. Another winner from
North of the border! Reviewed by John Mitchell Fruteland Jackson – Good As Your Last Dollar Electro-Fi Records– 2019 www.fruteland.com 12 tracks/50 minutes Fruteland Jackson has been on the scene for over thirty years and is a writer and educator (a significant contributor to Blues In The Schools programs), as well as a working musician. He has played with many of the great acoustic musicians, mostly sadly no longer with us: Honeyboy Edwards, Homesick James and Henry Townsend, to name just three and, in recent times, is a cancer survivor. Indeed, this is his first release for some time and it is a welcome return. Although based in Chicago, Fruteland went to Toronto to record this album, aided by a solid cast of Canadian players, many regular contributors to Electro-Fi recordings: Jack De Keyser is on guitar, Harrison Kennedy harp and backing vocals, Bucky Berger drums and percussion and Alec Fraser bass; Julian Fauth adds occasional piano. Alec also produced the disc which has crystal clear sound in which you can hear every instrumental nuance. Fruteland wrote half the material, two being reworkings of older songs, with three ‘Traditional’ songs and covers of Johnny Shines, Robert Johnson and Johnny Nicholas. We open with Johnny Shines’ “Two Steps To Hell”, a real ‘down on your luck’ blues with tales of hard times and “hellhounds on my tail”. The traditional “When Death Comes Creepin’ In” does little to lighten the mood, despite the uptempo accompaniment of mandolin, piano and guitar and Harrison’s excellent backing vocals which act as a counterpoint to Fruteland’s lead. Fruteland’s “Good As Your Last Dollar” is a classic song for a period of economic depression, a time when a man’s word no longer has value, only hard cash: “Cash in hand beats a payment plan and you’ll never fall behind”. Fruteland gives “Careless Love” a Delta makeover with Harrison’s spiky low-end harp buzz beneath the jagged piano and mandolin before Fruteland revisits a song he first released back in 1995, “All The Dad I Had”, in which Fruteland’s father is revealed as a guy who never praised his son’s achievements, but you have to make the best of what you have in life. Julian’s stately piano leads us into the excellent spoken-word piece “How’s It Going?”, as Fruteland details all his problems, presumably in answer to the question, another song about the economic downturn and its consequences for the ordinary guy. The pace picks up with the full band present on “All Pain, No Gain”, though the theme of “the great depression” is again the core element of the lyrics. The traditional “Just Another Day” is beautifully played with Harrison’s counterpoint vocals again a key ingredient, giving an appropriately gospel feel to the song. The jaunty guitar intro to “Damaged Goods” belies another dark
song, this time about failing relationships and their effect on children involved. The Stones’ version of “Love In Vain” is probably the best known cover of the song but Fruteland returns it to its Robert Johnson roots in a quiet arrangement, Fruteland’s guitar and Harrison’s harp in deep blues conversation. Johnny Nicholas’ “Peace In Hell” is the confession of a condemned man who realizes he has made a mess of this life, so bring on his inevitable journey down below: “I’ll be glad to get to Hell where I can lay by the fire and rest”. To close out the album Fruteland gives us an unaccompanied work song “Blues 2.0”. Although it’s a re-release (‘by popular request’) it fits well with the theme of most of the album here. This is a fine acoustic album, albeit not the most lyrically cheerful! In the sleeve notes Fruteland links all the songs into one brilliant narrative and anyone who enjoys well-crafted acoustic blues is strongly recommended to pick up the album and admire those notes. Reviewed by John Mitchell
Tony & Joe – Tin Can Blues Label: Joe Flip www.joeflipmusic.com/ joeandtony.html 9 tracks Tin Can Blues is a relaxing journey through blues that sounds old and, at the same time, altogether new. Joe Flip plays his signature “Hayburner” acoustic guitar, crafted from a vintage oilcan, throughout the CD. The guitar is especially noticeable on the first song, “Mess Around,” slathers a haunting, old-timey sound on top of Tony Cuchetti’s clear vocals. The album features seven original songs and one cover. “Big River” is the most danceable track; it tells the age-old tale of heartbreak with lyrics like, “Well, I taught the weeping willow how to cry, and I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky. And the tears I cry for that woman are gonna flood you, Big River, and I’m gonna sit right here until I die.” At 5+ minutes, some of the songs are a bit long, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing – the longer tracks create momentum and continuity that shorter songs lack. “Ij” is one of those longer songs, for example, and it has a relaxed, driving beat. “Six Feet Underground” is a peppy little number that gives Flip’s Hayburner an opportunity to shine. “Down Home Girl” and “Do Your Thing” are a couple of fun songs – I tapped my toe through one and snapped my fingers through the other. “Tommy C” has a more serious tone, both musically and lyrically. “Lovin' Biscuits” does a great job of displaying the contrast between Joe’s
Hayburner and Tony’s conventional acoustic guitar. The bonus track, “Amazing Grace” featuring Indiara Sfair on harmonica, is a beautiful, timeless and sincere way to wrap up a great CD. Reviewed by Lynn Hetzler
Chris Corcoran Band – Blues Guitar Grooves Label: Shack Records www.chriscorcoranmusic.com/ 11 tracks Blues Guitar Grooves is by one of the UK’s finest swing and RnB guitarists, Chris Corcoran, whose band has spent the better part of 20 years performing across the United Kingdom and Europe as the only instrumental group on the circuit. In his latest effort, Blues Guitar Grooves, Corcoran offers up his signature guitar work alongside an extended line up of piano, saxes and trumpet. The instrumental blues album features Mike Thorne on drums, Matt Radford on bass, Nick Lunt on baritone sax, Lee Badau on tenor sax, ‘Big’ John Carter on piano, and Simon Da Silva on trumpet. Corcoran starts with a streetwise cover of Henry Mancini’s theme song to “A Shot in the Dark.” The next song, “Bag's Groove,” is more traditional blues with a fat horn section and thick guitar work. A jammin’ piano leads the way in “Big John Special,” backed up by a tight collaboration between the drums and horns. “Fast Eddie” is a quick rockabilly dash down a bumpy road with no seatbelts on. “West Coasting” is cool, suave and sophisticated with a touch of noire, like something you would hear in an urban martini bar. Mike Austin plays tenor sax on “Strung Out,” a velvety, frantic and busy with a West Coast guitar style. “Congo Mambo” is a funky little number that is 100% danceable (I can personally guarantee this). “Blues for Catie” hauls it back to classic blues, and the drums add an extra layer of cool. “Pushing and Shoving” drops into the slot with a bold, punchy attitude. “Don't Lose Your Cool” has an old-fashioned sock hop feel to it. The album ends with another streetwise song, “Banda Capitale,” which is both hot and cool at the same time. Blues Guitar Grooves is pure joy on a guitar string, frankly. If you like instrumental blues, you’ll love Chris Corcoran Band’s newest effort, Blues Guitar Grooves. Reviewed by Lynn Hetzler
Cass Clayton Band— Play Nice Self Released cassclayton.com 12 tracks Cass Clayton is a product of the Colorado music scene and combines rock, soul, blues, funk and R&B into a smooth and cohesive package. Each song tells a story and Clayton and company are up to the task. There are 11 new songs here and one cover. Clayton hails from the Mountain State and her 2018 album was selected as the Colorado Blues Society Members Choice Album of the Year. It was reviewed in Blues Blast Magazine a year ago in 2018 by me and I liked it a lot. This album takes us on a more positive path and continues to showcase the songwriting and musicianship of Clayton and her band. Taylor Scott is a fine guitar player whose skills are evident in each track. Tom Amend and Jon Wirtz share the duties on organ and keys. Chris Harris is on bass except for one track with Loren Phillips (track 7). On drums, Brian Claxton and Larry Thompson share the duties except on tracks 5 and 6 where Steve Saviano plays.
The album opens with “Dawes County,” a biographical cut about Claytons’ home where her family farmed and she has graduated from to move on to bogger and better things. Nic Clark adds some cool harp to the cut as Clayton sings with a country flair and Scott lays out some nice licks. Up next is “Little Things;” its got a good groove to it and Clayton delivers a a performance with emotion. Darryl Gott on tenor sax and Gabe Mervine on trumpet are a sweet horn section backing Cass and the band. “Play Nice” is next, a restrained and subdued cut with the organ setting a mood as Clayton sings. Scott has a short but poignant solo here, too. “B Side” is a tune about a relationship where the A side is a lot of fun but the B side may have some issues that are lacking. A big, driving, mid tempo cut with heavy guitar and organ where Clayton asks her man to see his whole persona while telling him she, too, may have some secrets. Interesting stuff. “No Use In Crying” moves along with a driving beat and we get to hear the horn section again. Clayton sings stridently and the guitar and organ both showcase themselves well. “Tattered and Torn” is a darker ballad with some well done piano Amend added to his organ work. The song builds and Clayton delivers the goods with emotion. “You’ll See” is a funky and driving cut with a great groove. Lots of heady organ work by Wirtz and Scott adds to the mix with his guitar. We get another ballad in “The Most Beautiful Girl” about a set of Siamese twins and other people from life’s freak show that Clayton sings are just people like us. Scott gives a thoughtful solo to add to the mood. We get “Doesn’t Make Sense Next,” another funky cut with an interesting guitar lead and paced vocals by Clayton. “Flowers At My Feet” has some more funkiness going on with a big guitar intro and lots of bass and organ for fun, too. Clayton builds here vocals throughout with some nice
backing vocals. Organ and guitar solos are forthright and cool. “Slow Kiss” is a short, somber instrumental that comes out of “Play Nice;” Clayton sings about not dismissing a slow kiss in that song and we get that slow kiss in this cut. The album ends with “Strange Conversation,” a 1994 song by Ted Hawkins. It was s a cool cut originally and Clayton gives it her own angst filled cover; nicely done! Much of the topics for the songs remain a little dark (as in her prior album) but Clayton is able to make those songs enjoyable and interesting for the listener. She delivers emotion and she and the band are together and tight. Scott had a hand in writing many of the songs with Clayton and on one Wirtz was involved. The songs are solid musically and lyrically and the arrangements are really spot on. This is a great effort that is more rock and funk than blues, but it does not diminish that it is all really good music! Reviewed by Steve Jones Big Jack Reynolds—That’s A Good Way To Get To Heaven: The Music and Life of Big Jack Reynolds Third Street Cigar Records bigjacksmovie.com www.thirdstreetcigarrecords.com 20 tracks; CD and DVD 1:21:24 Big Jack Reynolds is a little-known blues man who hopefully gets noticed with this great CD and DVS package. A collection of 20 of his best songs and a DVD about his life and music make this a superb package to listen to, watch and appreciate. Born in 1931 in Detroit or Arkansas, he was brought up in Albany, Georgia. He moved to Detroit for work and then he first recorded in 1962 for the Mah’s Label in Detroit and then Hi-Q/Fortune in 1965. In the 1980’s he also recorded with Blue Suit, Highball, and Two Aces And A Jack. He passed away in Toledo, Ohio in 1993 as a bluesman few had heard of. Reynolds was a deep and passionate blues man. His music was phenomenal yet mostly undiscovered. He played the hell of of his harp and was also a darn good guitar player. His life is filled with mystery; he had kids but never introduced them to others. He lived in Detroit and later in Toledo, but facts about his life are sketchy, mostly because he told a lot of tall tales. He made his mark in Detroit, a hotbed for blues. Fashion was something Jack might not have completely understood but he always wanted to look good on stage. It might mean three different kinds of plaid but it was all his own style. Reynolds was a guitar and harp player. He plays all the harp parts and sings on all the tracks. Larry Gold also plays guitar on 11 of the first 12 tracks. Johnny “HiFi” Newmark plays bass on most of those tracks, too, while Slim Galhagan is on drums for most and Chad Smith is on piano. Joel Hazzard (bass) and Chris
Arduser (drums) are on the other two). The horn section The Cobra Twist Horns on track 12; they are Brad “The Razor” Sharp on trumpet, Randy “The Slider” Knisely on trombone, and Kevin “Nationwide” Maude on sax. The first twelve tracks are with his 1980’s band. Cuts like “Honey I Do,” “Scratch My Back,” “Shame, Shame, Shame,” “Rock Me Baby” and others are familiar, but hearing Jack gives them an edge worth hearing. The horn section on the latter is quite good. The harp work is great throughout. The last eight songs have some solo work included; “She Moves Me,” “Gonna Love Somebody,” and “She Must Be A Millionaire” are just Jack and his harp. These are quite cool and interesting. Old recordings like “I Had A Little Dog,” “You Won’t Treat Me Right,” “Going Down Slow,” and “Make It Up In Your Mind” hearken to days gone by and what could have been. This is music the world should have heard and embraced. The DVD is rich on stories and info about Jack. It is not a rehash of the music on the CD, which is cool. We get to hear and see a lot about Reynolds from the film. He played and recorded with a bunch of local Detroit musicians like Bobo Jenkins and John Lee Hooker and competed with Rice Miller (Sonny Boy Williamson) who thought he “owned” the blues harmonica business in Detroit. He used a “Kilroy Was Here” logo as his symbol/ trademark for his show posters. His song “I Had A Little Dog” was used in the Jimi Hendrix biography movie.
Her.” He had been a plasterer in his younger days, but relied on handouts and gigs in his older days. His illiteracy, drinking, chasing women, poverty, and inability to handle money all worked against him and prevented him from making it in the world. His kidney disease was an issue most of his life, but he did not care for himself as he should have. He passed away from kidney failure, heart failure and a punctured lung in 1993. Locally, Jack was a musical legend. Hopefully this CD and DVD will help him to take his place as a force in the blues. I loved this CD/DVD set and enjoyed it thoroughly. I most highly recommend getting a hold of it to learn about this master blues man, his life and his music. You will not be disappointed. Reviewed by Steve Jones
Getting ready you never know what it’s going to be like. Before
Reynolds left Detroit after a divorce and costly settlement for the safe haven of Toledo where he continued to play and work. Locals Art and Roman Griswold and others and he played together and that is where he met up with Gold, Newmark and the others. They recorded Hot As You Get as Two Aces and a Jack with Reynolds and the Griswolds. The Dynatones went to Toledo a lot and loved Big Jack. Tommy Castro was in the band for awhile and he fell in love with Jack and his music. Ronnie Earl sat in with him at some festival and Jack tried to throw him off the stage for his regular guitar player. Earl asked him what was the matter; he could play blues in C, too.
Broke and Disgusted was released in 1990. Gold and others found funding for him to put this one together. This was his second album. Jack focused mostly on harp later in his life as the guitar being too heavy for him. He loved Jimmy Reed and his style and also Sonny Boy Williamson; the harp really was his forte. He began with drums and added guitar and harp, but harp was his true calling. It was discovered late in his life he could play piano, too. He remained a demanding and sometimes hard to get along guy on stage because he wanted perfection. But he as also adored by his bandmates and friends. Eddie Burns, Chicago Pete, Honeyboy Edwards, Eddie Shaw, Sir Mack Rice all hung out and played together later in his life. Reynolds plays on Rice’s 1992 version of “Cheaper To Keep
After
More from Crossroads Blues Festival 2019
July and August Crossroads Shows
Ivy Ford at the Hope and Anchor
Brother Dave Kaye at the Lyran Society
The Blues Disciples at the Festival
Chris O’Leary at the Festival
Reverend Raven and Andy Linderman at the Festival
Nick Moss and Dennis Gruenling at the Festival
John Primer at the Festival
Dave Weld at the Hope and Anchor photo Bob Haendler
Mississippi Valley Blues Festival
( July 5 & 6)
??????????????? Band
??? Band
F R I D A Y
Samantha Fish
Wayne Baker Brooks
Ivy Ford with Dave Axen and Dave Wood
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Lizzy Neal
Victor Wainwright
Tab Benoit
SATURDAY
North Mississippi All Stars
The Groove - Crossroads Blues Society Newsletter
Membership News We continue to grow with new members and renewals continuing! Thank you for supporting live music and helping to keep the blues alive to all our new and returning members! New members: Mark Audi Terry Barthel Family Karyn Crement David Crogan Roberta Cutler Glenda Dawson Steve & Deanna Fink Don Hladky Randy Keller Nora Kline Ron & Barbara Kroeger Cindy Lawson Diane Layng Kathy Manson Deborah Migliorosi Todd Nelson Roger Reger Jill Rose Dan & Jeanne Rowell Mike Schiller Al & Cheryl Schmidt Jayson Shull Tootsie Marie Sommers Dennis Strasser Dave Stauffacher Debra Uhren Mike Youngblood Renewing Members: Robert Anderson Family Robb & Sue Brilbeck Jim Didier Ric & Donna Douglas Delores Fair Avis & Jeff Fisher Jeff Haugen & Family Ted & Kathy Johnson Sandra Kelly Brian & Bev Kobischka
Mingo & Jean Lara Dennis “Link” Leary Wayne Martin Family Al McNary Stuart Meeker Bill Meyer Kevin O’Neil Bill Oviatt Will Perrin Mark Rodseth Mike & Kim Walsh Dan Wenzel Leean White & Dayle Coburn Bret Winzenreid The month of August is our Festival which means lots of new members and lots of renewals! Many thanks to all who joined anew or reupped! New members get a CD upon joining and new family members get two CDS. If you did not get any please let us know the next time we see you! The Email newsletter averages about 40 pages an issue and is in full color, delivered as a PDF to members. Mail newsletters are 12 pages and printed in greyscale. Mail members have a $5 surcharge to help with printing and postage costs. We produce six newsletters a year with about 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! See the membership form on page 3 of this newsletter to sign up. It’s a great way to help keep the blues alive!
www.bluesblastmagazine.com
Hope and Anchor English Pub Second Saturday Blues The Hope and Anchor Second Saturday Blues is a fun monthly; shows are from 8 to 11:30 PM. There is a $5 cover charge. Located at 5040 N 2nd Street, Loves Park IL, USA, phone 815-633-2552 for info! 9/14/19 Doug Deming & The Jewel Tones 10/12/18 The Jimmys 11/9/18 Reverend Raven and the Chain Smoking Altar Boys featuring Westside Andy Linderman 12/14/19 Ivy Ford Band January & February 2020 TBD 3/14/20 Kilborn Alley Blues Band 4/11/20 Cash Box Kings 5/9/20 Corey Dennison Band
Lyran Society First and Third Friday Blues (Once a Month June-September) The Lyran Society featured blues, a fish fry, other great food, and a lot of fun. The Lyran Club has great shows twice a month outside of summer. Located half a block east of 7th Street at 1115 4th Ave, Rockford, IL 61104, you can call (815) 9640511 for info. There is no cover charge, it’s a free show. Open to our members and friends, all ages are welcome! Shows are 7 to 10 PM. 9/20/19 Paul Filipowicz 10/4/19 TBD 10/18/19 Wheatbread Johnson CD Release
Radisson Hotel & Conference Center The Radisson is now doing Saturday shows about once a month with some really great acts. $10 admission. Food and drink are available at the shows. Located at 200 South Bell School Road, Rockford, IL 61108. 9/28/19 Toronzo Cannon 10/19/19 Wayne Baker Brooks 11/23/19 TBD
Crossroads Blues Society P.O. Box 840 Byron, IL 61010 On the web at: crossroadsbluessociety.com/ Crossroads Blues Festival at Lyran Park: www.crossroadsbluesfestival.com Email us at: sub_insignia@yahoo.com Call us at: (779) 537-4006
THE
THE BI-MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF CROSSROADS BLUES SOCIETY
Keeping the Blues Alive Since 1994 2014 Blues Foundation Keeping the Blues Alive Affiliate Award Recipient 2014 Chicago Blues Hall of Fame Inductee 2005 Rockford Area Music Award Winner– Musical Outreach Organization
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Blues News and Upcoming Events our new series at the Radisson Hotel in Rockford. October 4th is TBD at the Lyran Society and October 6th is our Crossroads Blues Challenge also at the Lyran Society. October 12th the Jimmys return to the Hope and anchor. October 17th we have Coco Montoya coming back to the Nordlof Center. October 18th we have another show at Lyran yet to be scheduled. October 19th is Wayne Baker Brooks at the Radisson Hotel.
All of these shows are described inside for you. We have some super stuff coming up!
We’ve got lots of great stuff coming up in September and October. September 13th is the Blues Blast Music Awards at the Tebala Events Center. September 14th is Doug Deming and the Jewel Tones at the Hope and Anchor. September 20th is Paul Filipowicz at the Lyran Society. We also have our annual membership meeting and election of Officers and Board at 6 pm prior to Paul’s show. September 28th is Toronzo Cannon kicking off
There is also a lot of great pictures and info about events from July and August inside along with some great CD reviews. Hope to see you at our shows!