New Blues and Soul News – 7/7/2020
New Blues and Soul News – 7/7/2020
New Blues:
Eli Cook – All Night Thing (C.R.8): “Eli Cook draws a line between blues-rock-grunge on new music: and it’s wicked. “I want this record to sound like John Fogerty and Billy Gibbons forced Scott Weiland to listen to Chuck Berry and Bill Haley records for a week and then had a jam session. It’s meant to be a call back to the earliest era of blues-based rock ‘n’ roll, yet undeniably influenced by the latter gods of Southern songwriting. And as always, the grunge giants that embody extreme attitude and energy because it has to have the swagger to the nines and make people move compulsively.”– Eli Cook, 2020 (https://missjillpr.com/eli-cook-hits-like-a-haymaker-with-all-night-thing/) His performances are raucous and raw but his control and fire are a special blend. Cook is a special musician who has mastered his style to teach those who haven’t experienced the hard rockin’ blues that really is the blues. Fine and intense electric blues. Mission accomplished Eli! Chuck is surely smiling. This is a certified Professor Bebop “Wax Devoid of Cracks”! Click here to listen to the title song.
Mick Hayes – My Claim To Fame (Move The Needle): “Yes, the legendary FAME studio in Muscle Shoals is very much alive and serves as a beckoning shrine to many budding musicians who have long dreamed of recording in that hallowed sanctuary. Enter Mick Hayes, born and raised in upstate New York, enthralled, as most of us were growing up, with great records from Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, Solomon Burke, and Duane Allman that were recorded there. Much of the vintage equipment and even the room décor still remains. Hayes took his songs to FAME, was able to record with veteran Muscle Shoals session men, and in the process found his songs transformed beyond his expectations…. This is straight-ahead vintage soul music that well reflects the FAME name and sound. Hayes is no pretender. He delivers the music with the right feel, precise phrasing, and solid arrangements.” (http://www.elmoremagazine.com/2020/05/reviews/albums/mick-hayes) All of the songs are Hayes originals and are right in the FAME groove. The backing musicians are Mick Hayes (lead guitar, vocals), Justin Holden (drums, percussion), Bob Wray (bass), Clayton Ivey (electric piano, organ), Vinnie Ciesielski (trumpet, flugelhorn), Brad Guin (bari and tenor sax, flute), and Marie Lewey and Cindy Walker (backing vocals) with guest players Will McFarlane (rhythm guitar), Billy Bargetzi (trombone) and Ken Watters (trumpet) on two songs. Solid from beginning to end! This is a certified Professor Bebop “Wax Devoid of Cracks”! Click here and scroll down to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
The Smoke Wagon Blues Band – The Ballad Of Albert Johnson (MAPL): Veteran blues band from Canada featuring Corey Lueck (vocals, harmonica), Mike Stubbs (guitar, backing vocals), Brandon Bruce (organ, piano, backing vocals), Gordon Aeichele (sax, flute, washborard), Steve Sherman (guitar, percussion, backing vocal), Jason Colavecchia (bass, backing vocal) and Tibor Lukacs (drums, backing vocal). All but one song are originals. Straight performances of blues and jump with some touches of soul that invite you to cut a rug! This is their eighth release. Click here to listen to a sample from this release.
C D Woodbury – World’s Gone Crazy (Self-produced): “In 2014 guitarist CD Woodbury and his band were named “Kings of Beale Street“ at Jerry Lee Lewis’ café and honky-tonk during the group’s first appearance at the International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis. The group has been a finalist in Best Self-Produced CD and twice a semifinalist band, while representing the South Sound Blues Assoc and the Seattle-based Washington Blues Society. Capitalizing on the momentum from their 2020 IBC appearance and a successful crowdfunding campaign Woodbury brought the band into the vaunted Robert Lang Studios in Seattle to record his sophomore release as a band leader. “World’s Gone Crazy” also marks a personal victory as his career was nearly cut short due to personal health issues and wrist surgery in 2018. The undaunted blues man returns with fire on a 13- track recording that is representative of the bands barnstorming live show. The first half of “World’s Gone Crazy” is a set of eight well-crafted original songs followed by artful arrangements of select cover songs. Woodbury’s skills as a guitarist are not only on display, but also his sardonic wit and evocative storytelling. Each of the band members has a moment to shine throughout the collection, with the muscular rhythm section of journeyman drummer Don Montana and explosive bass player Patrick McDanel laying a firm foundation, while multi-instrumentalist Mike Marinig colors the landscape on keyboards, saxophone and vocals. The quartet delivers a full dose of high energy blues, rock, and soul.” (https://fotosbluesrockandmore.blogspot.com/2020/06/release-cd-woodbury-worlds-gone-crazy.html) Great rockin’ and fun! Check them out! Click here and scroll down to listen to an early demo of “Can’t Eat That Stuff No More”.
New Soul Adds:
Various Artists – Blues Mix 31: Dirty South Soul (Ecko): The latest Ecko Blues Mix release offering a dozen adult don’t-play-them-until-the-young-kids-are-asleep offerings from Ms. Jody, Jaye Hammer, Donnie Ray, Val McKnight and O.B. Buchana among others straight from the collection of the “Dirty South Soul”. Click here to listen to the opening song on this disc.
Kopasetically,
Professor Bebop
