New Blues News – 1/17/2017
New Blues News – 1/17/2017
Ronnie Baker Brooks – Times Have Changed (Provogue): This new disc is Ronnie Baker Brooks’ first for Provogue and it seems that it is the realization of his recording goal of the past twenty years: “My whole intention, when I started with “Golddigger” (1998) and up through this one, was to be authentic enough for the older generation but have something that the younger generation could latch onto…I try to be that bridge.” The connection has placed him squarely in a soul-centered blues inflection with a taste of rock. He has reached out to several veterans of the soul and soul-inflected sound to make this happen. His musical cast includes Steve Cropper, Big Head Todd Mohr, Lonnie Brooks, Angie Stone, Bobby Bland, Felix Cavaliere, Leroy Parnell, Willie Weeks and Leroy Hodges (bass), Charles Hodges (organ), Teenie Hodges (guitar), Steve Jordan (drums), Michael Toles (rhythm guitar), rapper Al Kapone and veteran Jim Horn (bari sax) among others to accomplish an old soul sound that recalls but doesn’t mimic the original one. Half of the songs are relative “oldies” and half are Baker Brooks’ originals. Check it out. Only time will tell if his disc will be embraced by both generations, but I expect it will cross over. Click here to listen to the title song.
Tom Craig & Soul Patch – Get Ready For Me (Self-produced): Singer / guitarist / band leader Tom Craig leads his group Soul Patch through a dozen originals based upon soul and blue soul styles of the past past few decades. The band includes John O’Connell (drums), Rando Branning alternating with Dave Gross (bass), Eric Johnson (organ), Vince Gleason (tenor sax), Mark Gallagher and Skylar Hagner (bari sax), Dan Young (alto sax), Sean McCosker (trombone), and Mikey Jr (backing vocals, harmonica). The influences seem to range from Roomful of Blues or maybe even Tinsley Ellis on the soul side. The band plays well and the vocals are okay, but there’s a missing “snap” or crispness that keeps this release from being totally top drawer. Soul blues fans should give a listen to decide for yourselves. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
Tim Gartland – If You Want A Good Woman (Self-produced): Singer / songwriter / harmonica player Tim Gartland creates songs in a blue country zone: yes they are often technically blues but the country stylings are the most prominent. Ironically, to my ears, Gartland’s songs and performances are most successful when when the blues qualities have the more dominant role. In those cases, the performances were tighter and sharper. Depending upon your tastes, you might disagree. Garland plays a variety of harmonicas and has a declarative vocal style that works best when the lyrics are the strongest. Musical support is supplied by Tom West or Kevin McKendree (piano, organ), Tom Britt (slide and standard guitar), Lynn Williams (drums), Steve Mackey (bass), and Wendy Moten (supporting vocals). The best performances here are quite strong. Click here to listen to the opening song on the disc.
Greg Hatza ORGANization – Diggin’ Up My Roots (Flip): Organist Greg Hatza began his recording career in the mid 70s, but after two releases fell from sight until the mid 90s. He is clearly a devotee to the style of Jimmy Smith though he doesn’t often show Smith’s fire on this recording. Nonetheless, there is much to groove on here. He composed three of the songs on the disc and he does show the most fire on covers like “High Heel Sneakers” and Jimmy Smith’s “Back At The Chicken Shack”. His band includes Robert Shahid (drums), Peter Fraize (sax) and Brian Kooken (guitar). Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
Jeff Healey – Holding On: A Heal My Soul Companion (Provogue): Here’s another posthumous release of singer / guitarist extraordinaire Jeff Healey, listed as a companion to “Heal My Soul”, Healey’s last recording released posthumously in March, 2016. This man had amazing guitar and vocal skill, plus extraordinary musical passion. The first five songs are unreleased studio recordings and the remaining ten are from a concert performed in Oslo, Norway in 1999. If you are a fan of Healey’s or just want to know what he was about, this is as good an introduction as you could find. Blues rock with a passion. Click here to listen to a live track from this disc.
John Latini – The Blues Just Makes Me Feel Good (Smokin’ Sleddog): Here’s a cat who grew up in Queens and then moved to Detroit and somewhere on the move must have been struck with a southern easy-going bug complicated by a head full of wit. The disc itself seduces the listener with its lyrical wit and the laid back sound. It’s infectious almost in spite of your preconceptions: there are no hot instrumental breaks, but everything just sort of fits. In addition to Latini’s vocals and guitar, the disc features Nolan Mendenhall (vocals, bass, percussion); Bruce Roscoe White (guitar, percussion) and Todd Glass (drums), with guests Jamie-Sue Seal and Greg C. Brown (vocals); Neil Donato and Dale Grisa (trading off on keys); and Ross Huff (trumpet), Tim Haldeman (sax) and Bethanni Grecynski (trombone) on half the tracks. Latini wrote all but two of the songs on offer. Check it out when you don’t want to get too carried away. Click here and scroll down to listen to the songs on this disc.
Sharon Lewis & Texas Fire – Grown Ass Woman (Delmark): Just looking at the title will clue you in that there will be some sass on this disc. It won’t prepare you for the variety. Sharon Lewis howls the blues, sings soul with authority, and brings in some gospel. She also composed six of the songs on offer. Six more were composed by guitarist Steve Bramer. The rest of the group includes Roosevelt Purifoy (piano, organ), Andre Howard (bass) with Ari Seder on 3 songs and Tony Dale (drums). Other guests include Joanna Connor (guitar); Sugar Blue and Steve Bell (harp); and Kenny Anderson (trumpet), Hank Ford (tenor sax) and Jerry DiMuzio (bari sax) on four songs. Party songs, blues, soul, philosophy and wisdom like “freedom cannot be freedom until freedom means freedom for everyone!” A certified Professor Bebop “Wax Devoid Of Cracks”! Click here to listen to the songs on this disc.
Reverend Freakchild – Preachin’ Blues (Self-produced): Solo acoustic playin’ and singin’ and sermons preached and performed by the Reverend Freakchild who is folksy and hooked into the older blues composed by the likes of Robert Johnson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and Son House among others. The original tunes are in the same styles and the commentary is apparently mainstream Freakchild. Folks interested in old style or folk blues steeped in the tradition should definitely check this out. I regret that I can’t find a sample from this disc. Click here to listen to a more uptown studio version of a song from this disc.
Terry Robb – Cool On The Bloom (Niasounds): Finger-picking guitarist Terry Robb has 15 discs to his credit and is recognized as one of the world’s premier players of the style. He sings occasionally, but the guitar is his main communicator. He also varies his musical setting from solo to augmenting the sound with an additional guitarist or bassist and even percussion or all of the aforementioned. His fingers virtually float across the strings. Anyone who appreciates finger-picking, melody and acoustic guitar will certainly find this disc a treasure. Absolutely recommended! Click here and scroll down to listen to samples of each of the songs on this disc.
Various Artists – Blues Challenge #32 (Blues Foundation): The Blues Foundation continues its exploration of new blues talent, offering concert opportunities and exposure to blues fans through discs like this. There is actually quite a bit of variety on this issue: blues rock, rock’n’roll blues, acoustic blues, funk; some crooners, some talkers, even some shouters. Nine acts in all, quite a bit of variety and it’s all live. Unfortunately, I am unable to find any samples from the disc, but it is encouraging to hear the many styles represented.
Kopasetically,
Professor Bebop
