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Reviews Section |
| Every month Bad Dog Blues reviews
the best new blues releases. 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: |
 Henry
Townsend: My Story (APO) 
Henry Townsend
is the elder statesman of St. Louis blues with a storied
career that stretches back to the 1920's. Cut two weeks
before his 90th birthday, My Story is a warm, intimate
set of country blues from one of the last of the first
generation bluesman.
Townsend
has had remarkable career and one that is vividly documented
in his fine autobiography which came out last year. He
arrived in St. Louis when he was around ten years old,
just before the 20's began, and by end of the 20's he
started cutting records for Columbia. By the 30's he became
a popular session musician playing with Walter Davis,
Robert Lee McCoy, Roosevelt Sykes (who taught him piano)
and many others. He continued to record in the 40's and
50's but didn't make any records under his own name again
until the 60's. Townsend has never been prolific but has
cut some very good records for labels like Adelphi, Swingmaster,
Wolf, and Nighthawk. My Story is another fine chapter
in the amazing career of this St. Louis legend.
My Story
is a beautifully recorded set cut in 1999 at Blue Heaven
Studios, a converted church in Salina, Kansas. Townsend
is still a vital and commanding presence as he alternates
between piano and guitar. He remains a moving singer and
storyteller and his deeply personal songs are filled with
hard earned wisdom. Backing Townsend is long time partner
Ron Edwards who lays down some tasteful slide, Sho Komiya
on acoustic bass and Jimmy D. Lane who plays dobro on
two tracks. You can still hear the echoes of great St.
Louis pianists Walter Davis and Roosevelt Sykes in Townsend's
playing particularly on the bouncy "Tell Me",
the poignant "Dreaming" and "Screaming
And Crying." Other tracks feature his still nimble
guitar work on dark meditations like "Less Than A
Man", "My Story" and the
up-tempo "No Fuss And Fight" with Edwards and
Townsend playing dueling guitar parts.
With My
Story Henry Townsend is the only bluesman to record
in every decade since the 20's but more importantly he
remains a vital, commanding force that reminds us that
in the right hands the blues can still be a powerful form
of expression.
-Check out
these related reviews:
Henry
Townsend: Cairo Blues
A
Blues Life (autobiography)
(Jeff Harris)
|
 Jerry
"Boogie" McCain: Unplugged (Music Maker)
After
years of sporadic recording Jerry McCain seems to have found
a home on the Music Maker label with Unplugged marking
his second fine outing for the label in as many years. McCain's
been at it for something like 50 years and a quick listen
to this record proves he hasn't long a step.
For whatever reason McCain's profile is nearly as
high as it should be and he easily ranks at the top of the
heap when talking about harp players and few can match his
humorous, incisive song writing. McCain launched his career
in the early 50's on the legendary Trumpet label and went
on to cut classic sides for Excello and a raft of smaller
labels. In recent years McCain's output has been lean cutting
some good contemporary blues records for the Ichiban label
in the late 80's and 90's before the label went under. McCain
served notice last year with This Stuff Just Kills Me
that he was as potent as ever and Unplugged offers
more proof.
Unplugged
is an all acoustic outing cut in a hotel in McCain's home
town of Gadsen, Alabama. The session has an intimate, off
the cuff feel with everything cut in one take. McCain's
song writing is one of strong suites and all the songs here
were written just for this session. Unplugged is
filled with McCain's earthy, humorous viewpoint on songs
like the sly "Sexual Harassment" where he hopes
he won't go to jail for his comments even though he can't
seem to help incriminating himself, on "If Love Kills
Me" he says he'd rather die with a smile on his face
than stop loving and "Look At Me" where he laments
about not listening to others in matters of love until it's
too late. Other highlights include the chugging "Olla
Mae", the lazy groove of "Gal Named Mary"
and the moving "Bad Love Blues". Throughout McCain's
is given plenty of room for his wonderful clear, piercing
harmonica solos that crackle with energy despite the lack
of electricity.
Unplugged
is yet another first rate recording from Jerry McCain and
let's hope his association with the Music Maker label continues
for a long time to come.
-Check out
these previous Jerry McCain reviews:
This
Stuff Just Kills Me
The
Complete Jewel Singles 1965-1972
(Jeff Harris)
|
Lightning Hopkins: The Best
Of (Arhoolie)
Fred McDowell: The Best Of (Arhoolie)
Forty
years after it's inception Arhoolie Records remains one
of the premiere roots labels and is still going strong releasing
new recordings and a steady stream of classic reissues.
The Best Of Lightning Hopkins and Fred McDowell collect
about an hours worth apiece of classic music from these
two country blues giants and serve as good introductions
for the uninitiated.
At 17
songs, clocking in at just under an hour, The Best Of
Lightning Hopkins is something of a misnomer considering
that Hopkins was one of the most recorded bluesman of all-time
recording hundreds of records for a bewildering array of
labels. That being said this a very strong collection drawing
on sides that Hopkins cut for the Gold Star label between
1947 and 1950 plus sides that Chris Strachwitz recorded
for his Arhoolie label between 1961 and 1969. Hopkins is
heard in a variety of settings from solo outings, small
band combos and rare instances of him playing piano as on
the moving "Jesus Will You Come Here" and organ
on "Zolo Go", his take on Zydeco using the organ
to emulate the sound of an accordion. Hopkins' stint at
Gold Star ranks as one of his most inspired periods and
this is underscored on a pair of powerful protest songs
in "Grosebeck Blues" and "Tim Moore's Farm"
plus poignant numbers like "Going Home Blues"
and the marvelous half spoken "Unsuccessful Blues."
By the 60's Hopkins music was increasingly geared towards
the new white audience that was embracing blues and this
is reflected in the nearly dozen LP's he cut for the Bluesville
label. His Arhoolie recordings from this period, however,
hark back to the raw sound of his early records like on
the raucous boogie of "Come Back Baby", wry, humorous
songs like "Bald Headed Woman" and the similarly
themed "Short Haired Woman" (recorded live at
an undisclosed location), his famous "Mojo Hand"
and also reflecting current events in the moving "Please
Settle In Vietnam."
The
Best Of Fred McDowell collects sides McDowell cut for
Arhoolie between 1964 and 1969. Unlike Lightning Hopkins
who had been recording since the 40's, McDowell wasn't recorded
until 1959 when folklorist Alan Lomax "discovered"
him in Mississippi. McDowell was born in 1904 but never
was particularly interested in making commercial recordings
and instead honed his craft at juke joints, house parties
and playing spirituals at small churches. McDowell states
at the opening of one of the live cuts on this set- "I
don't play no rock n' roll" and he's right. What you
hear on this collection is pure, undiluted Delta blues by
a true master. McDowell's blues pack an unrelenting emotional
punch charged with his powerhouse vocals and vicious slide
playing bringing to mind comparisons to legends like Son
House, Charlie Patton and the like. This set collects a
number of his best known sides like "Write Me A Few
Lines", "Shake Em' On Down" and "You
Got To Move" a song covered by the Rolling Stones which
brought him in royalties more money than McDowell had ever
seen in his life. A special bonus is the previously unreleased
"Shake Em' On Down" and "Louise" from
an undisclosed live concert.
Longtime
collectors may have a good portion of this material but
for those new to either artist these collections should
serve as fine introductions to two country bluesman of the
highest caliber. Arhoolie also has many more recordings
by both artists that you can investigate by checking out
the Arhoolie website: www.arhoolie.com
-Check out
this related reviews:
Lightnin'
Hopkins: Straight Blues
Lightnin' Hopkins & The Blues Summit
Lightnin'
& The Blues- The Herald Sessions
(Jeff
Harris) |
 The
Campbell Brothers: Sacred Steel On Tour!
(Arhoolie)
In
the last few year's The Campbell Brothers have gone from
playing in their local church in upstate New York to literally
playing all over the world. Sacred Steel On Tour!
captures the brothers as they spread the gospel live to
venues in Minneapolis, Atlanta and New York.
The Sacred Steel tradition with it's emphasis on
lap steel guitars got it's start back in the 30's but
it's only been recently that the music has become known
outside the church. The Campbell Brothers were one of
the first to take their music to a larger audience and
now play to enthusiastic crowds all over the world. The
music's powerful, uplifting message has struck a chord
with audiences who never fail to be won over by the Campbell's
magic. I was lucky enough to be at four of the concerts
on Sacred Steel On Tour! and it does a good job
of documenting what this music is all about.
Nine
of the twelve cuts were recorded locally: six at their
church in Rush, New York, two at the 12 Corners Coffee
House and two at the George Eastman House in conjunction
with a screening of the Sacred Steel Video released earlier
this year. It's not surprising that some of the hottest
moments occur during the church services with highlights
going to to the wailing "Scott's Testimony"
featuring four pedal steel players including guest Rev.
William Scott as well as Chuck, Phil and Darick Campbell
and the moving "Love Lifted Me" with the whole
assembly joining in on the chorus. "A Prayer meeting
At Mary's House" was also recorded at church and
is a blistering workout but marred a bit by the opening
testimony of Bishop Charles Campbell which suffers from
muddy sound. Other highlights include a pair of cuts featuring
vocalist Katie Jackson on the moving "Pass Me Not"
and the rocking "Didn't It Rain."
The
Campbell Brothers are an absolute must to see live but
if you can't Sacred Steel On Tour! is the next
best thing.
-Check out
this related reviews:
Train
Don't Leave Me
Sacred
Steel Live!
Sacred
Steel- In Church And On Video
|
Floyd Miles:
Another Man Will (Rockhouse)
Bluesman
Roy Roy Roberts continues to deliver exceptional records
on his small North Carolina based Rockhouse label and
this latest one by veteran Floyd Miles is no exception.
Another Man Will showcases Miles mining deep soul
and blues territory backed by a first rate band.
Floyd
Miles isn't particularly well know outside of his Daytona
Beach stomping grounds but he's been plying his trade
steadily since the 60's. If people recognize Miles' name
it may be because of his long association with Greg Allman.
Allman got his start in Miles' band in the early 60's
and the two have remained friends ever since. In fact
Allman has appeared on all of his mentor's records and
in turn Miles has been something of an unofficial member
of The Allman Brothers and still currently tours with
Gregg to this day. Despite the star associations Floyd
Miles stands as an first class soul and blues singer as
Another Man Will amply demonstrates.
Miles
is a great singer in the old school tradition and this
record finds him equally adept at handling deep soul ballads
and straight ahead blues. Backing Miles is a killer band
featuring Roy Roberts and Chick Willis on guitar and vocals,
Greg Allman on organ and a crack horn section. Among the
straight blues high marks go to the romping opener "You
Must Be Crazy" featuring some great sax work and
stinging guitar licks from Roy Roberts, the funky "Three
Old Blues Men" with Miles, Roberts and Willis all
taking vocal turns and obviously having a ball playing
off one another and the bouncy "Rabbit's Got the
Gun" with some wise words for those who are thinking
about cheating. Miles really excels on the soul ballads
especially on a pair of aching Otis Redding style numbers
in "Another Man Will" and "Heartaches And
Misery."
It's
an interesting irony that while Greg Allman has gone on
to great fame the man who taught him how to sing is still
toiling away, relatively unknown by the masses. Forty
years down the road Floyd Miles is still the real deal
and one listen to Another Man Will is all the proof
you need.
(Jeff Harris)
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