New Blues News – 11/27/2018
New Blues News – 11/27/2018
BlackMarket III – Dashboard Jesus (Rip Cat): Scottie Blinn (guitar, vocal) and Roxanne Coverdale (bass, vocal, percussion) offer a somewhat electric and folksy set of five originals and three traditional songs and three blues covers. They are supported by Alan West (drums, percussion) and a series of guests including Billy Watson (chromatic harmonica), Gary St. Clair (B3), Jesus Cuevas (accordion), Jules Whelpton, Breanna Wallace and Cami Smith (violins), and Anson Funderburgh (guitar) mostly on one song each. The style is certainly based in the blues and folk range, but it also seems uniquely singular in style. The music is well played but also sounds less studio polished than many releases these days. It’s interestingly tantalizing. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
Beth Hart – Live At The Royal Albert Hall (Provogue): Live performance by singer / songwriter Beth Hart. She has a really large voice and makes the most of it. Her style is pop rock with an occasional side trip to soul rock. Hart sings and plays piano, guitar and bass during this performance. She also wrote or co-wrote most of the songs on this set. Hart is supported by Jon Nichols (electric, acoustic guitar, backing vocals), Bill Ransom (drums, percussion) and Bob Marinelli (bass). Click here to catch the closing number of this concert.
Preacher Boy – The Rumble Strip (Coast Road): The “Rumble Strip” may be the entry to hell or life’s prep session for what it might be like. Illness, addiction, emotional wreckage are prominent everywhere. Preacher Boy, having been inspired by Howlin’ Wolf and other bluesmen, has delivered several discs in the past twenty-plus years. His vocals almost sound as if Wolf’s voice had transferred to him. The songs on this disc sound like extensions of Wolf’s “Evil”, but the warning is too late. This performance is not for the faint of heart. Click here to listen to the opening song.
Snooky Pryor – All My Money Gone (Wolf): This is a classic 1979 live performance by Snooky Prior (vocals and harmonica) and Homesick James (guitar) with support from an Austrian band including Hans Dujmic (guitar on 5 songs) and Fritz Ozmec (drums on 1). This is classic Chicago blues from start to finish – a real treasure! Six of the songs are originals from Pryor and the others are mostly covers of classics written by Roosevelt Sykes, John Lee Williamson, Tommy Johnson and Arthur Crudup. I regret I am unable to find a sample from this disc.
Ruth Wyand – Tribe Of One (Self-produced): Ruth Wyand was introduced to blues while growing up in New Jersey. She now resides in Kill Devil Hills, NC and performs as a solo singer/songwriter and band. This is her fifth release and it is immediately recognizable that she plays guitar well. She also adds foot drums. Sadly, her voice shows significant wear and tear. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
Kopasetically,
Professor Bebop
