Jimmy Smith: Dot Com Blues (Blue Thumb)

 For his first new record in five years and the his first for Blue Thumb, Jimmy Smith try's his hand at a blues record. It's not really much of a stretch since there's always been a strong blues feel to much of Smith's organ work.

 Following the tried and true method of creating a blues record for a musician who's not considered a blues artist, Dot com Blues is loaded down with the usual blues stars. The sticker on the front of the CD says it all: "World's greatest organist meets blues' biggest stars"! The "blues biggest stars" feature such familiar names to projects like this as Keb' Mo', Dr. John, Taj Mahal, Etta James and of course B.B. King. The trick for projects like this to work is to find some balance between the guest artists and the main star. Judging the record on those terms it turns out to be a partial success.

 The good news is that at 75 years old Jimmy Smith still remains the master of the Hammond organ. The core group consists of Smith on organ, Reggie McBride on bass, Harvey Mason on drums and talented youngster Russell Malone on guitar. This group plays alone on four tracks with very tasty results on Smith originals like the slow boiling "Tuition Blues", "Dot Com Blues" and a soulful take on "C.C. Rider."

 The majority of the rest of the record features collaborations with the guest stars. While the results work out pretty well it's hard to say there's any real chemistry. The blues artists more or less walk in and do their thing and the record becomes more a vehicle for the guest stars than a Jimmy Smith record. Dr. John is the featured vocalist on his original "Only In It For the Money" a typically solid outing from him, Taj Mahal is out front on "Strut", Etta James tackles "I Just Wanna Make Love To You", Keb' Mo' offers the original "Over And Over" and B.B. King is in good form on his familiar "Three O'Clock Blues."

 On the plus side Dot Com Blues proves that Jimmy Smith can still play with authority and if the records succeeds in converting some blues fans into Jimmy Smith fans that's certainly a good thing. On the other hand if your looking for a Jimmy Smith record you may only be half satisfied.

(Jeff Harris)

Steve James: Boom Chang (Burnside)

 In the last decade Steve James has one of the more talented country blues and roots stylists managing to inject a sense of liveliness and fun into the genre. Boom Chang, his debut for the Burnside label, is a typically fine outing that should bring a wide grin to all fans of vintage blues and roots music.

 James got into the blues through his dad's collection of 78's. After moving to Austin he signed with Antone's Records in 1991. He cut one record for the label and a pair for the Discovery label. His past records have attracted talented guest stars and Boom Chang is no exception featuring harp man Gary Primich, Cindy Cashdollar from Asleep At The Wheel, Alvin Youngblood Hart and Mark Rubin from the Bad Livers.

 Boom Chang is a good time record incorporating the sounds of classic country blues, jug and string band music into a sound that was once called "ragged but right." James sings on all the tracks and plays slide, mandolin and guitar-banjo. James plays solo on four of the twelve cuts including "The Gina Reel" an instrumental showcase for James' stunning slide style and a unique take on a classic blues here titled "Stack Lee's Blues" very much in the Mississippi John Hurt mold. "Way Out On The Desert" is another standout featuring superb bass playing from Mark Rubin. Things get a bit more raucous and loose on the band tunes like Bo Carter's "Country Fool" and "Saturday Night In Jail" featuring Alvin Youngblood Hart, Gary Primich, Cindy Cashdollar and Mark Rubin (on Tuba and Cello no less!).