|
  
 
 
|
 CD
Review 
Book Review
|
Page
1 of 2
of Reviews Section
|
Every month Bad Dog Blues takes a look at the best new
blues releases and offers our opinions, criticism and general ramblings. We'll also take a
look at noteworthy reissues and blues related books. In addition you'll find
a real audio clip from each record we review located on the bottom left. Now on to this months reviews:
"And we played it on the sofa, and we
played it side the wall
And we played it on the sofa, and we played it side the wall
But boys, my needles have got rusty, and it
will not play at all"
(Robert Johnson, Phonograph
Blues)
|
 Joe
Beard: Dealin' (AudioQuest)
I've lived
in Joe Beard's home town of Rochester, NY for the past fifteen
years and after seeing him rip it up countless times in small
clubs it's hard not to be a little biased. Joe Beard is not
exactly a household name but in Rochester he's considered a
blues legend. With five records under his belt Joe's name is
reaching a much deserved wider audience. Dealin', his
fourth for the AudioQuest label, is his best yet and should
prove what we've known in Rochester for years- Joe Beard is
the real deal!
Joe moved to
Rochester from Mississippi in 1957 and his blues is deeply rooted
in his home state. It wasn't until the 60's that he started
playing out on his own. Joe had the good fortune to be neighbors
with the legendary Son House when Son lived in Rochester and
obviously learned a few things from the old master. It was Ronnie
Earl who got Joe hooked up with AudioQuest when he gave producer
Joe Harley a scratchy cassette of a live gig. The partnership
with AudioQuest has been very fruitful with each successive
release sounding better and better and outside of catching Joe
live, Dealin' is as good as it gets.
Backing Joe
is the same all-star cast as his previous record including Duke
Robillard on guitar, Bruce Katz on piano and B-3 and ex-Muddy
Waters alumni Jerry Portnoy on harmonica. The first thing you
notice about Joe is that he's a great singer with a rich, booming
voice that totally commands your attention whether on record
and especially effective cutting through a noisy bar. Secondly
he's a totally unique guitar player never flashy but always
knowing when to hit the right lick. As Duke Robillard says in
the liner notes "they don't teach THAT in any school!" The type
of blues Joe plays is firmly set in the Chicago/Mississipi school
and in the style of idols like John Lee Hooker, Lightning Hopkins
and Jimmy Reed. In fact it's Jimmy Reed "Bitter Seed" that gets
things off to a romping start followed by the mid-tempo shuffle
of "You Don't Love Me Anymore" and the chugging "Just Like A
Fish" with some great searing harp work from Jerry Portnoy.
There's some wonderful slow burners including the nearly eight
minute "Life Without Parole" backed with just drums and some
moody organ work from Bruce Katz, "Holding A Losing Hand" featuring
some nice subtle guitar from Joe and the muted low down feel
of "That So-Called Friend Of Mine." There's simply not a bum
track in the bunch and that's a pretty rare thing.
Dealin'
has all the earmarks of a classic and if there's any justice
Joe Beard will break out big. In the meantime I'll be headed
to the local bar to catch yet another Joe Beard set before he
hits the big time.
(Jeff Harris)
|
 Kid
Ramos: West Coast House Party (Evidence)
West Coast House Party is a
perfect title for the rollicking good time you'll find
between the covers of the Kid's second outing for the
Evidence label. Aided by an all star guest list the former
Fabulous Thunderbirds guitarist throws one hell of a party.
Kid Ramos plays in the classic West Coast blues tradition
of guys like T-Bone Walker and Pee Wee Crayton and his guitar
chops are more than up to the task. Ramos has had plenty
of time to hone his craft spending eight years as the guitarist
for James Harmon plus a stint in The Fabulous Thuderbirds.
His self titled release last year was mighty impressive
and this one's even better.
West Coast
House Party is a jumping and jiving good time backed
by a swinging, horn driven rhythm section, blistering
guitar from the Kid and a who's who of West Coast musicians.
Ramos did a remarkable job juggling the numerous guest
stars and the result is a loose but swinging record that
comes across a group effort instead of a one man show.
Ramos leaves the singing to others and we're treated to
fine vocalists like Big Sandy who lends his countrified
pipes to the rocking "Guitar Player" and "Wipe Your Tears",
Janiva Magness on the jumping "Bring It Home To Me" and
Kim Wilson on the bouncy "Where Were You." Other vocalists
include James Harmon, Lynwood Slim and Rusty Zinn who
throws in his own fine guitar playing into the mix. Speaking
of guitarists let's not forgotten Gatemouth Brown who
shows these youngsters a thing or two on the two part
T-Bone classic "Strollin' With Bone" where he takes on
the Kid and Duke Robillard in a sizzling guitar battle.
There's simply not enough space to mention everybody but
the results definitely dispel the saying about too many
cooks spoiling the broth.
West Coast House
Party is a blast from start to finish and it does
a difficult balancing act by not only being a fun record
to listen to but also a showcase for some virtuoso playing.
(Jeff Harris)
|
|
Otis
Rush: The
Classic Cobra Recordings (Fuel 2000)
Fontella Bass:
Free (Fuel 2000)
One
of the positive benefits of the CD age has been the flood
great blues reissues that have poured out from numerous
labels. A case in point is the Fuel 2000 label who have
recently acquired the rights to the Jewel and Cobra catalogs.
With the release of The Essential Otis Rush and
Fontella Bass's Free that label is off to a great
start.
The Jewel label was founded in 1963 by Stan Lewis, an
outgrowth of his successful record store. In addition
to Jewel he also owned the subsidiary Paula imprint. Jewel/Paula
was the home of numerous blues legends including Lowell
Fulson, Lightnin' Hopkins, Charles Brown, John Lee Hooker,
Roosevelt Sykes and many others. In the late 60s, Lewis
bought the masters of Chicago blues label Cobra Records
whose roster included guitar stars like Magic Sam, Otis
Rush and Buddy Guy. If Fuel 2000's first releases are
any indication we should expect many more gems from the
vaults of Jewel Records.
The Essential Otis Rush: Classic Cobra Recordings
contains 75 minutes of some of the toughest Chicago blues
ever committed to wax. Rush has cut a lot of great music
in his forty plus year career but these sides rank as
his greatest. The sheer emotional weight of Rush's searing
guitar and vocals are tough to match on all time classics
like "I Can't Quit You Baby", "My Love Will Never Die",
"All Your Love" and "It Takes Time." In addition to the
sixteen studio cuts are eight alternate takes and it's
a tribute to Rush's genius that the alternate takes, of
which the extended "Double Trouble" is a good example,
may even be more intense that the issued takes. This one
belongs in every blues collection.
Fontella Bass's Free is a very different record
than the Otis Rush. Fontella Bass is best known for her
1965 smash "Release Me" which ranks as on of the great
soul records of the era. The Free LP was released on the
Paula label in 1972 and contains a few singles Bass recorded
the year before plus songs recorded specifically for this
album in addition to some 45's cut in 1973 that have been
tacked on for good measure. The result is a wonderful
soul record spotlighting Bass's dynamic, gospel soaked
singing backed by some great horn/string driven arrangements
by legendary producer Oliver Sain. The whole album displays
a strong social awareness particularly on "To Be Free",
"Talking About Freedom" and the beautiful gospel tinged
"My God, My Freedom, My Home." Bass's singing bears a
strong similarity to the best of Aretha's early 70's work
especially on the driving "Wiping Tears" and "Now That
I've Found A Good Thing." A forgotten soul classic!
Besides putting out some
great music, Fuel 2000 has done all the little things
right with first-rate packaging, insightful notes and
excellent sound. With a large back catalog to draw from
we can expect many more blues classics in the future.
Stayed tuned for more…
(Jeff
Harris)
|
|
 Pinetop
Perkins: Back On Top (Telarc)
It's
simply remarkable that at 86 Pinetop Perkins is still playing
and singing with such authority. Perkins is one of the last
of the great piano players and Back On Top is a beautifully
produced showcase befitting a true legend.
It seems like Pinetop
has been around forever but it wasn't until 1988 before he
cut a domestic album under his own name. Of course prior to
that he had a pretty good resume playing over a decade in
the Muddy Waters band and before that he gigged with legends
like Earl Hooker, Sonny Boy Williamson and Robert Nighthawk.
In the last decade Pinetop has recorded as a leader for a
number of labels with Back On Top being his second for Telarc.
I will say that there's be a certain sameness and lack of
fire to many of Pinetop's records partly because of his tendency
to stick to well worn classics. On the surface Back On
Top would seem no different but teamed with a very supportive
band and excellent production this may be one of Pinetop's
best.
Backing Pinetop is a wonderfully sympathetic band featuring
Corey Harris' subtle guitar playing on 8 of the 10 tracks,
sensitive playing by Denny Breau also on guitar, Michael Ward
on acoustic bass and fine harp playing by Sugar Ray Norcia.
Pinetop is in peak form on this mostly laid back set and he
manages to breathe fresh air into classics including an exquisite
version of Robert Nighthawk's "Anna Lee" with some stunning
slide work by Corey Harris, "Five Long Years" featuring Danny
Breau's subtle guitar fills and "How Long Blues" taken at
mid-tempo with the full band and some sweet sounding harp
playing from Sugar Ray. Things pick up the jumping "Down In
Mississippi" with Pinetop laying down some first rate boogie-woogie
and the chugging "Thinks Like A Million."
Back On Top is very much a team effort and the result
is a marvelous loose feeling set that has rarely showed Pinetop
in a better light. This is definitely one to savor.
(Jeff Harris)
|
|
 Muddy
Waters: Rolling Stone- The Golden Anniversary Collection (MCA)
Even seventeen years after
his death the legacy of Muddy Waters looms large over the
blues world. It's not surprising then that his music has be
packaged and repackaged in an almost bewildering array of
different guises. Despite a somewhat misleading title, Rolling
Stone- The Golden Anniversary Collection is not simply
a rehash of well worn tunes but is an important document collecting
Muddy's historic first 50 sides cut for the Chess label.
This two disc set spans a
five year period from 1947 to 1952 and at least domestically
this is probably the first time these sides have been collected
in one place. All the recordings were remastered from the
original tapes and the sound is absolutely superb. Muddy had
recorded before cutting some field recordings for Alan Lomax
in 1941 and 1942 (collected on MCA's Complete Plantation Recordings)
and for Capitol in 1946 but these are the sides that cemented
Muddy's reputation and contain more than a few bona fide classics.
What's so striking is that
right from the first notes of the first song, "Gypsy Woman",
Muddy sounds like nobody but Muddy. There's nothing tentative
about these recordings as Muddy sounds utterly confident and
commanding on such classics as "I Can't Be Satisfied" with
a magnificent slide intro, "I Feel Like Going Home" his first
chart entry and the stunning Delta blues of the two part "Rollin'
And Tumblin'." All of these early sides find Muddy with minimal
backing with just pianist Sunnyland Slim on the earliest sides
and later Big Boy Crawford on bass and Leroy Foster helping
out alternately on drums and guitar. It isn't until the second
disc that Muddy's band begins filling out. "You're Gonna Need
My Help I Said" from 1950 features the first appearance of
Little Walter who's muscular harp is heard to good effect
on later classics like "Louisiana Blues", "Long Distance Call"
and "Honey Bee." Also coming onboard during this period is
legendary guitarist Jimmy Rogers and later a young Junior
Wells who took over the harmonica chores after Walter went
out on his own. What we get then through this two disc set
is a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of Muddy's sound
one that would take Chicago and then the world by storm.
Not the first place to start
for beginners, (MCA's three disc box set is the place to start)
Rolling Stone- The Golden Anniversary Collection is
still well worth acquiring not only for it's historic merits
but also for the fact that it simply makes for great listening.
(Jeff Harris)
|
|
 Snooky
Pryor & Mel Brown: Double Shot (Electro-Fi)
At 78 Snooky
Pryor shows no signs of slowing down. Following two fine
records last year Snooky is back with Double Shot
his second collaboration with guitarist Mel Brown.
Snooky and Mel Brown first teamed up on record on
last year's marvelous Can't Stop Blowing so it was
obviously a smart move to get the duo back in the studio
as soon as possible. The two had played together often in
the 80's sharing the stage at the famous Antone's club in
Austin and there's obviously some strong chemistry between
the two veterans.
Both men have
been steeped in the blues a long time. Snooky has been on
the Chicago scene since the early 40's and was one of the
windy city's true harmonica innovators (check out Snooky
Pryor on the Paula label for his groundbreaking early sides).
Mel Brown has spent much of his career as a top notch session
guitarist playing with B.B King, John Lee Hooker, Jimmy
McGriff and numerous others as well as putting out records
under his own name (check out Neck Bones & Caviar
which was release earlier this year on Electro-Fi).
Double
Shot is the wonderful result of two veteran blues men
at the top of their game. Between Brown's sizzling but tasteful
guitar playing and Snooky's powerhouse blowing the two brew
up a tough as nails blues record that should please fans
searching for the real deal. This is a mostly up-tempo affair
opening with Big Mama Thornton's rough and tumble "Dirty
Rat" before ripping into the rattling "Early In The Morning"
the rocking instrumental aptly titled "Snooky And Mel Boogie"
and the equally romping "Rock This House" with everyone
stretching out in fine form. Of the slower tunes check out
"Ease My Mind" and the lovely stripped down "Work Til' My
Days Are Gone" with just Snooky and Mel playing by themselves.
Backing Snooky and Mel is a band who call themselves the
"Homewreckers" and they certainly live up to their title
especially John Lee who lays down some tremendous piano
work on the five tunes he plays on.
The liner notes
mention that this partnership is destined for the Blues
Hall of Fame and that's no understatement. When these two
get together the results are blues magic.
(Jeff Harris)
|
More Reviews 
|
