New Blues News – 10/23/2018
New Blues News – 10/23/2018
Lindsay Beaver – Tough As Love (Alligator): Singer/drummer/songwriter Lindsay Beaver is a most interesting blues rocker. According to Bruce Iglauer, president of Alligator Records, “She’s like the love child of Amy Winehouse and Little Richard.” A critical acknowledgement is that she is an old style rock’n’roller at her center and a blues player second. The mix is great musically even when the blues is up front. Seven of the twelve songs are originals and the remainder are covers of songs like Slim Harpo’s “I Got Love If You Want It”, Mertis “Little Willie” John’s “You Hurt Me”, and Art Neville’s “Let’s Rock” among others. Her backup includes guitarist Brad Stivers, bass player Josh Williams and numerous guests, including Marcia Ball (piano on 2 songs), Red Casey (guitar), Laura Chavez (guitar), Matt Farrell (piano), Sax Gordon (tenor and bari sax), Dennis Greunling (harmonica on 2 songs) and Eve Monsees (guitar on 1 song). Click here to listen to the songs on this disc.
Fiona Boyes – Voodoo In The Shadows (Blue Empress): Singer/songwriter/guitarist Fiona Boyes has been performing for over 25 years and sounds better now than ever! Her guitar playing, like her singing, is solid and smooth when she wants it to be and just rough enough when she’s ready to shake the windows. Boyes wrote nine of the eleven songs in this set. Her backing musicians are Tim Neal (organ, piano, bass, bars sax), Mark Grunden (drums, percussion and chains and horseshoes) and Johnny Sansone (harmonica, accordion). Boyes is a true blues fan and terrific blues musician! This is a certified Professor Bebop “Wax Devoid Of Cracks”! Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
Doug Deming & The Jewel Tones – Complicated Mess (EllerSoul): Singer/guitarist Doug Deming offers his fourth release with ten original compositions and covers of Sam Theard’s “You Rascal You”, J. MIller’s “Blues Stop Knockin’” and Fats Domino’s “I’m Walkin’”. Deming has a somewhat plaintive, talkie singing style that depends upon the instrumental backing to put the fire in the stove. His basic setup includes Andrew Gohman (bass) and Marty Dodson (drums, except for one song when he is replaced by Sam Farmer). There is significant variety created by added musicians, including Little Charlie Baty (guitar on 2 songs), Kim Wilson (harmonica on 2 songs), Madison Slim (harmonica on 2 songs), and general backing throughout by Sax Gordon (tenor sax), Tino Barker (bari sax), Bob Welsh (piano) and Chris Codish (organ). The instrumental aspects of the performances generate a good bit of fire, variety and dynamics. There is a good bit to enjoy here. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
Marcus King Band – Carolina Confessions (Fantasy): Singer/songwriter/guitarist Marcus King offers his second release and it is fully intense and expressive. King wrote all but one song on the disc and he co-wrote the outlier with Dan Auerbach and Pat McLaughlin. Backing musicians in the band are Jack Ryan (drums), Stephen Campbell (bass), Justin Johnson (trumpet, trombone), Dean Mitchell (sax) and DeShawn “D-Vibes” Alexander (keys) and they are totally supportive and expressive. The sound is mostly quite full, Southern rock a la Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks, both of whom have played with and nurtured his career. “Every tune on this record is based around a central theme, which is that none of us are blameless at the end of a relationship,” King points out. “Basically, Carolina Confessions is about me leaving my home town, explaining why I would do that, and why I felt like it was taken from me—just sharing in some of the blame of why a relationship didn’t work.” (http://marcuskingband.com/bio/) BTW, the band will also be playing in Cville at the Jefferson on November 12. This release ranks with the best Southern rock discs I’ve ever heard. It is a certified Professor Bebop “Wax Devoid of Cracks”! Click here and activate the left disc cover to listen to samples from the songs on this disc.
Bob Margolin – Bob Margolin (VizzTone): Bob Margolin started playing guitar as a teenager, soon became enamored of the blues. He was hired by Muddy Waters in 1973 and performed and recorded with him until 1980 and then moved to DC and formed his own band. As the years passed, Margolin moved from DC eventually settling in North Carolina. He has continued to record, performing on “The Muddy Waters Woodstock Album”, his first solo album “The Old School” for Powerhouse Records, and “Down In The Alley” (Alligator) in 1993. His voice certainly shows the road wear, but the blues is still deep in his heart. Margolin plays all instruments and sings all songs on this disc. He composed six of the songs here and selected the remainder as essential blues written by such greats as Leroy Carr, Johnny Winter, Snooky Pryor, Muddy Waters, and James Cotton among others. Margolin’s playing, always his strongest suit, is still quite strong and largely folky on this release. I regret I am unable to find a sample from this release.
Kopasetically,
Professor Bebop
