WTJU 91.1 FM

New Blues News – 12/10/2018

Glenn Alexander & Shadowland – Glenn Alexander & Shadowland (Rainbow Revenge): “At its core, Shadowland is guitar-driven, horn-laced, in-your-face, rockin’,soulful, blues-drenched music.” (Liner notes) Alexander is band leader, sings and plays guitar and wrote or co-wrote nine of the twelve songs on this disc. Other members of the group are Oria (lead and background singer), Greg Novick (bass), Tom Seguso (drums), Chris Anderson (trumpet, flugelhorn), John Isley (tenor and bari sax), and Neal Pawley (trombone). The music is straight ahead boogie blues that is quite welcoming and certainly danceable. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.    

Bobby BlackHat – Put Your Red Shoes On (Self-produced): Veteran harmonica player / singer Bobby BlackHat has been playing the blues for a long time in the Tidewater area, often in Virginia Beach. The band’s style is somewhat laidback but certainly bluesy. The other members of the group are Brian Eubanks (bass, backing vocal), Tom Euler (guitar, backing vocal), Michael Behler (drums, backing vocal) and Larry Lawrence Kilpatrick (keys) with guests Cal Hamlin (organ, backing vocal on 6 songs), Larry Berwald (guitar, pedal steel on 3 songs) and Lucius Bennett III (vocals on 2 songs). There is a fair variety of styles, but just right for the beach, mellow and light. That being said, there are also a couple of burners just to taunt you into shaking even if you don’t want to. Lastly, as the sun is going down, the group slips into a very mellow and folksy style offering just enough to make you kick back and wait for the sun to set. Click here to listen to songs on this disc.   

Randy McAllister & The Scrappiest Band In The Motherland – Triggers Be Trippin (Self-produced): Texan Randy McAllister (vocals, harmonica, drums) offers nine original songs and a cover of Ivory Joe Hunter’s “Since I Met You Baby”. McAllister is backed by Brandon Hudspeth’s fiery guitar throughout, except when he steps aside to let Santos Puertos take over on “Since I Met You Baby”; the shifting bass players Jacque Garoutte, Patrick Smith and Rich Stanmyre and drummers Danny Cochran and Sean Meurley with Carson Wagner adding B3 on one song. Andrea Wallace and Benita Arterberry with backing vocals. The down-home soul blues mix is pretty tight and completely straightforward with some fire. I regret I am unable to find any samples from this disc.

Old Riley & The Water – Biting Through (Self-produced): “As leader of Old Riley & The Water, the singer/songwriter has collaborated with his local bandmates as well as friends from out of town to create his debut EP record Biting Through. Recorded at the band’s rehearsal space as well as in the main living space of his Creole Cottage in uptown New Orleans, this collection of Blues songs speaks to love, loss and missteps.” (https://store.cdbaby.com/artist/OldRileyandtheWater) This is the group’s first recording. All but one song, “Howlin’ For My Darlin’”(Burnett-Dixon), are originals written by Joshua Cook and Sean Wiley. Band members are Sean Riley (guitar and lead vocals), Ray Micarelli (drums), Andrew Landry (bass), Joshua Cook (guitar, vocals, tambourine) and Scott Craver (harmonica on four songs). It’s all quite down-home country funk and as befits NOLA, it’s mostly fairly laid back. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.  

Peter V Blues Train – Shaken But Not Deterred (Self-produced): Veteran singer/songwriter/guitarist Peter Veteska offers his fourth release and it’s a solid uptown blues affair. He is sometimes compared to Robert Cray and his playing often does sound like earlier Cray. His declarative singing style is reminiscent of Darrell Nulisch. On the other hand, his presentation and band make it clear he is not a copy artist. Veteska composed or cowrote all but three songs on this program and the covers are Fats Domino’s “Blue Monday”, the standard “For All We Know” and an “after hours” take on Big Maceo Merriweather’s “Worried Life Blues”. Band members include Alex D’Agnese (drums), Sean “Gravy” Graverson (bass), Aron Gornish (keys) and, of course, Peter V (guitar, vocals), with guest musicians Danny Walsh (sax, 8 songs), Jeff Levine (B3, 9 songs), Coo Moe Jhee, Bill Cherensky and Gary Mazzaropi (bass, 1 song each), Gary Neuwirth (harmonica, 1 song) and Vanessa Cause (vocal, 1 song). This is very solid uptown night club blues! Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.  

Jim Roberts & The Resonants – Beneath The Blood Moon (Self-produced): This appears to be the second release for Jim Roberts & The Resonants. In addition to singing and playing slide and cigar box guitar, Roberts wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on this disc. The additional players are Mike Harvey (drums, percussion), Rick Hollander and Tony Jack Grigsby (alternating on bass), Grant Cihlar (slide guitar, 1 song), Nathan Rivera (accordion, 1 song), Felix Flanagan (harmonica, 1 song), Mike Finnigan (organ, 3 songs; piano 1), and Randy Doodles (growling dog, 1 song). This offering is solid blues rock with fantastic slide guitar by Roberts who plays with authority, but never overwhelming the other instruments or the feeling of the song. Solid from end to end! Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.   

Ron Spencer Band – Into The Blue (Real Gone): This appears to be the third release by the Ron Spencer Band. Led by Spencer (guitar, vocals) the remainder of the quartet are Mark Gibson (vocals), Bob Purdy (bass, vocals) and Ross Moe (drums). All but two songs are originals and the two covers are “Cadillac Walk”, probably best known by Mink Deville and “Blind, Cripple & Crazy” by Charles Hodges, Daryl Carter and Don Robey. The disc is somewhat reminiscent of early Robert Cray, but mellower and less creative. That being said, fans of Cray and mellower blues should check this disc out. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.   

Chad Wesley – Bluezy (Old Trace/Malaco): This is Wesley’s second release and his first on the Malaco/Old Trace label. The style ranges from straight guitar centered blues to an explosive electric blues rock and Wesley composed all songs. In addition to Wesley on guitar, piano, and vocals, the band members are Mike Bernard (bass, organ, electric piano, and percussion) and Maurice Gibson (drums) with a horn section on one song featuring Will Brown (trombone), Kimble Funchess (trumpet) and Jessie Primer (tenor sax). Good flow and nice variety. Mostly straightforward blues-rock played with style and fire – and the man sings “Desperate Eyes” and “Reign” with the style and control you could only hope for. Click here to sample the songs on this disc.   

Chris Youlden & The Slammers (Last Music Company): Singer Chris Youlden, vocalist for Savoy Brown from 1967-1970 and has performed solo since that time. Youlden is in good voice and The Slammers are are a solid blues band with just enough fire to keep you in the groove but without concerns for hearing loss. The band includes Dave Briggs (guitar), Will Stallibrass (harmonica, guitar), Geraint Watkins (piano, organ), Paul Riley (bass) and Malcolm Mills (drums). Most of this collection was recorded in 1987 and the final three songs were recorded in 1991. The songs cover a lot of ground from “Sugar Coated Love” to “Fool’s Paradise” to “Trickbag”, “Nervous Breakdown” and “Roll With Me Baby”. Youlden has a fine voice with options for power, but often on the mellower side on this disc. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.    

Zito – Blue Room (Ruf): Veteran guitarist and singer offers his first release in honor of his 20th anniversary as a recording artist. He’s primarily a blues player, but certainly was influenced by several styles as he was maturing. While blues and blues rock were and are seriously the center of his playing, Zito was also influenced by rock and funk and was a member of the Royal Southern Brotherhood from 2010 – 2014. That is in evidence across his playing and soloing as well. It is a wild, rip-roaring fantastic ride as well featuring rock, funk, metal and more! The trio features Doug Byrkit (bass) and Brian Zielie (drums). It was a wild night! Click here to check out the opening song.   

Kopasetically,

Professor Bebop