New Blues Review 8-13-24
By Jack Roy
Piper & The Hard Times – Revelation (Hard Time Records)
Bio – “Piper & the Hard Times enjoy doing original music, but also are comfortable with established blues, R&B, rock and soul standards. Their shows mix contemporary and classic influences and material, and the band is known to improvise for the crowd, but never so that they become self-indulgent. That balance is maintained by the comfort levels they’ve established with each other through thousands of performances. And with the group’s recent incarnation, there has also been a level of confidence and polish that makes their collective sound even more formidable. The core of Piper & the Hard Times is Al “Piper” Green, Steve Eagon, and Dave Colella and they have known each other since 2000. They are joined by pro-level players covering bass guitar, keyboard/organ, and horns for a big rootsy vibe. Each principal member has an interesting and intriguing personal story to tell. Al “Piper” Green’s lead vocals combine the flamboyance and earthiness of blues with the power and authority of gospel and represent the two biggest influences in his life. Growing up in a very musically inclined family in Bolivar, Tennessee, he sang in a gospel choir growing up while also hearing the best of soul, pop and rock on radio. But Green remembers perhaps his biggest influence, as well as mentor from a sensibility/style approach, was his uncle. “Every 4th of July he’d come down to visit us from Chicago and he’d be riding in this grand blue Fleetwood Cadillac,” Green recalled. “He’d be decked out and have a bunch of folks with him playing the blues. I wasn’t old enough just then to really get the full impact of what I was seeing, but I knew this guy had style and flair and really represented the essence of the blues. I think that’s where I got a lot of my vocal approach from, duplicating that personality and that spirit.” Green contributes to the band’s original songs with lyrics based on personal stories and experience.”
Review – This Cd is so good, Piper’s voice is perfect for the Blues, authentic and road worn. The band is so solid with Steve Eagon on Guitar, Dave Colella on drums, Amy Frederick on Keys and Parker Hawkins on Bass. Steve’s guitar playing is the icing on the cake. Pipers is not only an incredible vocalist but a story teller, his voice is believable. If I had to classify Piper’s blues I would have to put it in the funky file cabinet! Every song is great and has it’s own life about it, ones that stood out to me were “Trouble Man”, “Preacher Blues”, “Revelation” and Your Going To Miss Me” but I think my favorite on this CD is “Crave You”, I couldn’t find it online but here is Piper’s IBC final performance in Memphis, so good, listen here. I will give this a 10+ on Blues Content and a 10+ on Music Content.
David Gogo – Yeah! (Cordova Bay)
Bio – “David Gogo has six JUNO Award nominations, has been named Guitarist Of The Year three times at the Maple Blues Awards, was named Musician Of The Year at the West Coast Music Awards, won Blues Recording Of The Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards, and received the Great Canadian Blues Award for his lifetime contribution to the blues in Canada as voted by the listeners of CBC’s Saturday Night Blues. He has performed on stage with the likes of BB King, Johnny Winter, Albert Collins, Bo Diddley, and Otis Rush. He has been chosen to open shows for ZZ Top, George Thorogood, The Tragically Hip, Little Feat, Jimmie Vaughan, Robert Cray, Robin Trower and Wishbone Ash. His songs are featured in films and television and have been covered by a variety of artists, most notably Buddy Guy.”
Review – A very nice Rocking Blues album, David has a great voice and the band is solid and strong and blends well with his voice. David wrote most of the songs on this album except for the Johnny Otis tune “Hurricane”. Band mainly consist of Gary Craig on Drums, Jim Bowskill on Bass, and Steve Marriner on Guitar and Harmonica. Some of the stand outs for me are “Hurricane”, “One More Day” and “You Used To Mean So Much To Me”, all three have some great guitar leads but I think my favorite on this CD is “Moose Hall Brawl”, a very Punk/Blues tune, listen here. I will give this a 10+ on Blues Content and a 10+ on Music Content.
Mick Kolassa – All Kinds Of Blues (Endless Blues)
Bio – ““Michissippi Mick” Kolassa currently lives in Michigan, where he was born, but for over 30 years he lived in Mississippi and Memphis, where he was given his nickname. He has played blues in solo and duo acoustic formats and with his bands for years. Mick has performed in legendary blues venues such as Ground Zero, The Rum Boogie Café, Biscuits and Blues, Martha’s Midway Tavern, The Bradfordville Blues Club, Darwin’s, Blind Willie’s, Underground 119, The Capitol Oyster Bar, the National Blues Museum, and many more. He has also performed at multiple blues festivals in North America and Europe.”
Review – Mick doesn’t really sing that much on this album but rather spoken word the lyrics, which is rather strange to me. The lyrics are suppose to be whimsical but falls short to these ears. The band on the album is a mismatch of musicians supporting Mick, so I won’t mention them. Most of the songs on this one are forgettable but if I had to choose one, I think my favorite on this CD is “Somebody Else’s Whiskey”, listen here. I will give this a 7 on Blues Content and a 7 on Music Content.
Kirk Nelson & Jambalaya West – Savor The Moment (Self-Produced)
Bio – “Californian Kirk Nelson has had a long and illustrious career in the music world. His father was a musician in jazz bands. Kirk started learning how to play the piano at age 7 and by age 8 was playing recitals and then some paying gigs for women’s garden clubs and such. At that time, he was playing classical music. But at age 12, he heard a loud garage band playing and decided he wanted to play that kind of music. He started learning to play the guitar but decided to keep his focus on the keyboards. At age 16, he joined a band that played Grateful Dead songs. Over the years, he constantly shifted his focus playing everything from rock to jazz. He worked in the Sound City Studio and for Paramount, which led him to write and perform music for tv shows and movies. He even wrote for the animated series Ren & Stimpy and had a small appearance on the show. He got married and had three children. He stayed close to home to be with his family but did continue to play in local bands. But as his children grew up, he decided to start playing more. He eventually entered what he calls his “Blues Period”. He joined a band called Blues Gone South and followed that with a gig in Michael John and The Bottom Line. The latter group finished in the top ten at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. He has shared the stage and recorded with Buddy Guy, James Cotton, Bo Diddley, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Robert Cray.”
Review – Kirk is another marginal singer that does a lot of spoken word singing through out the album. A very horn based album which is ok, but it would be better without the singing and just being an instrumental album. Again, lots of musicians on this album, too many to list. I think the only consistent member is Mitch Montrose on Drums. I could probably do without listening to this Cd again, so no other recommendations except I think my favorite on this CD is “Turn Yourself In”, a cool New Orleans feeling song (could do without the singing), listen here. I will give this a 7 on Blues Content and a 7 on Music Content.
The Pszenny Project – Smokey Bourbon (Self-Produced)
Bio – “The Pszenny Project hails from the midlands of South Carolina. Led by guitarist/lead vocalist Mark Pszenny, a strong guitarist, adding an edge of rock to his blues along with the rhythm section of Jay Ellington (bass) and Jason Corley (drums), this is a rock-solid lineup. The Pszenny Project has a strong instrumental attack combining in their music a masterful blend of blues, funk, rock and R&B that makes for energetic, compelling music. The Pszenny Project presents a kind of initiatory journey in the places most marked by the blues, namely Chicago, Memphis, Detroit and Texas, playgrounds carrying so many styles that the quartet will use and even sometimes abuse to serve us a music that is both solid, thick and rough as appreciated in juke joints that have managed to create the legend of what has long been called the Chitlin’ Circuit. Get ready for soulful and edgy blues-rock show unlike any other. Don’t miss out on this unique musical journey that defies expectations and delivers an unforgettable live show. Pair that with energy and a fresh approach to tried-and-true music and you’ll be begging for more! Experience the incredible sound of The Pszenny Project. ”
Review – Another voice that I am not crazy about. Decent sounding band, but most of the album is just remastered older recordings, so nothing really new here. Mark Pszenny on vocals and Guitar, Jay Ellington on Bass and Jason Corley on Drums. There is a keyboardist but I can’t find his name on the album nor their website. “Trouble With The Man”, “What The Funk” “I Told You” and “Shake It” are not too bad. I think my favorite on this CD is “Hoochie Mama”, listen here. I will give this an 8 on Blues Content and a 7 on Music Content.
