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| 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: |
 Juke
Joint- Photographs By Birney Imes
(University Press Of Mississippi) 
The
term juke joint, particularly among blues fans, conjures
up romantic ../../images of low-down blues, dancing and uninhibited
good times. Most of us, however, have never stepped
into a real juke joint which makes Birney Imes' gorgeous
color photos of delta jukes a real revelation.
The
closest most of us have gotten to a juke joint is stepping
into a House of Blues which in fact was chiefly inspired
by this book. "Juke Joint" was first published
in 1990 and has become something of a cult item with
the original print fetching huge sums and the interest
has prompted this new reprinting. In addition to inspiring
the House of Blues interiors many of us have seen at
least one of the photos which graced the cover of Lucinda
Williams' popular "Car Wheels On a Gravel Road"
album. One of the album's songs, "2-Kool 2-Be 4-gotten",
was inspired by a scrawl in the background of one of
Imes' photos. It's Williams who provides one of the
best concise descriptions of Imes' photos: "Birney's
work is, in photography, what a good blues song is to
me- gritty, edgy in all its parallels."
What's
so compelling about these beautifully composed photos
is that they take us into a world previously unknown
to most of as Richard Ford explains in the preface:
"...the sensation ...that [they] have not been
shown before and seem secret, even forbidden, exotic
to us..." Imes grew up white in the segregated
South of the 1960's and while black culture was all
around him it was also hidden from view. The photos
are a way into this hidden world and are as eloquent
in there way as anything written about black culture.
Blues fans will also get a special resonance from these
photos because this is the place where the blues first
thrived, a bastion from white society, and while blues
has become increasingly mainstream the jukes still remain
mysterious.
These
photographs were taken in the Mississippi, Delta in
the 80's at such evocatively titled jukes as The Pink
Pony Cafe, The Uptight cafe, The Out of Sight Club,
Blue Lite Disco and Monkey's place among several others.
The photos are gorgeous full page shots in vivid color,
mostly of empty jukes with the occasional patron in
the foreground. These photos work on many levels but
I suspect each viewer will see something unique in the
utterly compelling collection.
-Check
out photos from the book:
Juke
Joint Photos
(Jeff Harris)
|
 Blues
With A Feeling By Tony Glover, Scott Dirks & Ward Gaines
(Routledge)
Little
Walter is widely considered the greatest blues harmonica
innovator, the one who took the humble mouth harp in directions
no one thought possible and in doing so inspired a legion
of followers. While Little Walter has been written about
extensively in liner notes, magazine articles and books
we now get the full story, warts and all, in "Blues
With A Feeling" a well researched and very readable
biography of the harmonica genius. As in VH-1's "Behind
The Music" show Walter's life had all the stereotypical
elements for a gripping story from the meteoric rise from
humble beginnings to the tragic fall that would end his
life before the age of forty.
"Blues
With A Feeling" holds up well with the best of recent
blues biographies particularly Robert Gordon's portrait
of Muddy Waters and Sebastion Danchin's Earl Hooker book.
The writing in "Blues With A Feeling" isn't
up to Gordon's fine prose, although it still is a compelling
read, and perhaps not quite as meticulously researched
as Danchin's book. Still the research is impressive as
the authors have sifted through countless articles, conducted
numerous interviews with family, close friends and associates
(a dwindling number) and have unearthed much new information
to craft the most well rounded portrait of Little Walter
we are likely to get.
The
authors make no bones about Little Walter's influence
stating in the very first paragraphs: "To say that
Little Walter Jacobs was to harmonica blues what Charlie
Parker was to jazz saxophone, what Jimmi Hendrix was to
rock guitar, or what Frank Sinatra was to pop vocals is
no exaggeration- in fact, it could actually be an understatement.
...Little Walter Jacobs is inarguably the single most
influential artist in the history of blues harmonica."
If that sounds like a grandiose statement, and it does,
it's to the authors' credit that they go a long way in
proving their case. Walter fundamentally changed he way
the instrument was played and created the language of
modern blues harmonica
As
Robert Gordon did so expertly in his Muddy Waters biography
so too do Little Walter's chroniclers do an admirable
job peeling away the "deep layers of myth" surrounding
Walter's life particularly his early years growing up
to Creole parents in Louisiana. Walter started young,
playing harmonica at eight and by twelve was on his own
earning money by singing, dancing, and playing harmonica
in the streets of small southern towns. Through his rambling
Walter ran across numerous bluesman who were rambling
just like him including Honeyboy Edwards, Robert Nighthawk
and soaking about harmonica influences from John Lee "Sonny
Boy" Williamson, "Sonny Boy" Williamson
II (Rice Miller) and Big Walter Horton.
By
the late 40's Walter followed the trend of countless bluesman
before and after him and headed for the bright lights
of Chicago. The next few years saw Little Walter's star
rise dramatically moving from playing on the streets of
Maxwell St. to becoming an important cog in Muddy Water's
groundbreaking band and along the way amplifying his harmonica
which finally gave him the perfect outlet for his musical
imagination. "In Walter's hands", the authors
write, "a $2, 10-hole harmonica had all the color,
punch and authority of a jazzman's horn." Things
really took off for Walter starting in 1952 when he waxed
the immortal "Juke" (the "national anthem
of blues harmonica") following it up with over a
dozen Top Ten
R&B hits, playing prestigious venues and high profile
package tours and literally driving around with a sack
full of money in the trunk of his Cadillac.
Alas
the good times times didn't last long and the second half
of the book documents Walter's shocking decline. If anybody
could be said to be set on a course for self destruction
it was Walter who's alcoholism, constant fighting (he
suffered numerous severe beatings and shootings) destroyed
his enormous talents leaving him a shell of his former
self. Walter was seemingly ill prepared for success, never
able to leave the rough and tumble street life behind
him, and ironically ill prepared when success left him.
Luckily his enormous contributions were captured on numerous
recordings just as his fast and fleeting life has been
captured in this revealing book.
|
 Nick
Curran: Doctor Velvet (Blind Pig) 
Nick
Curran may be a hot young guitar slinger but his outlook
is decidedly old school. Curran expertly blends jump
blues, 50's era R&B and rockabilly into a high powered
sound that comes across as utterly authentic.
"Doctor Velvet" is Curran's third record,
stepping up to a bigger label but still retaining his
trademark sound.
Curran
began got a young start playing in his fathers' band,
Mike Curran & the Tremors when he was in his early
teens. At 19 he hooked up with rockabilly legend Ronnie
Dawson and toured with him for a spell before joining
Texas rockabilly queen Kim Lenz' band. He also toured
with old school country sensation Wayne Hancock. With
all this experience Curran had certainly paid his dues
and signed on in 2000 with the Texas Jamboree label
cutting two acclaimed records. "Doctor
Velvet" is another fine effort of vintage
blues and R&B as Curran rips through a set of well
chosen covers and like minded originals.
Nick
Curran has kept the formula intact for this release
romping with glee through a set of rootsy rock and roll,
blues and R&B with his gravely yet soulful vocals
and greasy, fat toned guitar work. Curran's guitar work
is truly inspired drawing from the best of west coast
legends like T-Bone Walker and Johnny "Guitar"
Watson with just the right amount of grit and fuzz.
Propelling Curran is a hot little band driven by a pair
of wailing tenor saxes and featuring guests Gary Primich
on harp and Jimmy Vaughn on second guitar. "Doctor
Velvet" is a perfect opener, a jumping and jivey
wailer and continues through Freddy King's "Lonesome
Whistle Blues", a blistering cover of the Sonics'
"Shot Down", the surging straight blues of
"Midnite Hour" and the rocking "One More
Time."
Nick
Curran has some serious blues chops and brings a load
of fun to the genre. This is good time, rocking music
from a youngster who's carrying the jump blues torch
to a whole new generation.
(Jeff Harris)
|
 Zydeco:
The Essential Collection (Rounder)
Rounder
Records has played an important role in giving Louisiana
artists the chance to
rise above their regional popularity and attract a much
larger audience. Such artists as Johnny Adams and Irma
Thomas have found a good home at Rounder and the company
has also been committed to recording some great Zydeco
music. "Zydeco: The Essential Collection"
is an excellent, varied and infectious 17 track collection
that's sure to get your pulse pounding.
Like
blues and jazz, Zydeco is one of the great uniquely
American music styles. Zydeco is dance music and the
enduring quality of the music is it's simplicity which
allows it to be bent and shaped into innumerable styles.
On this collection we hear a wide spectrum of Zydeco
from traditional to more modern strains that absorb
everything from funk to R&B to hip-hop.
On the
traditional front we get a pair of fine tracks from
one of the granddaddy's of Zydeco, Boozoo Chavis, who
scored the first Zydeco hit way back in 1954. Boozoo's
raw, rocking down-home sound is heard on "Lula
Lula Don't You Go to Bingo" and "Keep Your
Dress Tail Down" featuring great fiddle from David
Greely and steamy guitar from Sonny Landreth. Steve
Riley and the Mamou Playboys play traditional Cajun
and serve up the rocking "J'ai Reveille à
Ce Matin" sung in French. John Delafose and his
son Gino are featured on one song apiece and also sing
in French playing traditional minded music with Gino
carrying on the torch after his father passed in 1995.
Buckwheat Zydeco has achieved a good deal of success
playing a high octane brand of Zydeco still in a traditional
vein and is heard on the storming "Zydeco Boogaloo"
and the equally fast paced "Hot Tamale Baby."
The
new breed is well represented on this collection including
a pair by red hot Chris Ardoin and Double Clutchin'
on the funky "We Are The Boys" and "What's
Iin That Bayou?" featuring some sizzling accordion
playing. Before his tragic death in 1999 at 47 Beau
Jocque led the hottest and most popular band around
incorporating funk and R&B to create an instantly
recognizable sound. Beau is heard in typically fine
form on the bluesy slow burner "I'm On The Wonder"
and his infectious hit "Give Him Cornbread."
Other highlights includes the catchy "Bad Time
Woman" from Lil' Brian and the Zydeco Travelers
and the romping "Let's Go" from the always
dependable Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas.
Maybe
not "The Essential" Zydeco collection but
certainly a varied and entertaining one with not a bum
track in the bunch. Those new to Zydeco music will find
this an excellent starter collection.
(Jeff Harris)
|
Larome
Powers: Somebody's Chasin'
My Cat
(Blues Club International)
There's
guys who excel as blues singers or soul singers and
then there's guys like Larome Powers who fuse the two
together expertly. "Somebody's Chasin' My Cat"
is a bluesy, soul drenched affair with an irresistible
groove that instantly puts Larome Powers at the front
ranks of singers who mine similar territory.
This
is one of those tiny label releases that seem to come
out of nowhere and it would be a real shame of this
sank without a trace before getting some notice. As
far as I can tell this is Power's debut although I've
been unable to find out much about his background. In
the CD notes he states that "Blues and Soul music
always had my heart" and he possesses the soulful,
sultry pipes to really make a name for himself in the
soul-blues field. If you're looking for comparisons
Powers resides in similar company with soul-bluesman
such as Artie "Blues Boy" White, Chick Willis,
Little Milton and Travis Haddix- pretty solid company
I'd say!
Powers'
supple voice is at home singing smooth soul or gritty
blues. Add to that a batch of really good original sings,
a crack band and all the ingredients are in place for
a great record. No expense has been taken to surround
Powers with the perfect groove including some fine background
singers, a good horn section and a rhythm section that
really lays down a solid groove. Things kick off with
the infectious, funky "Stop Mistreating Me",
there's bluesy numbers like "Give Love" and
"Feel Like A King" featuring a nice low down
guitar solo and the impassioned love ballad "Come
Back to Me." The real highlight is the six minute
title cut "Somebody's Chasin' My Cat" the
album's blusiest number with a wonderful down in the
alley groove and great lyrics ("somebody's been
giving my cat the blues/been rubbing and stroking her/turning
her every which way but loose/somebody's been tasting
my cat food").
Larome
Powers is a newcomer to watch out for and "Somebody's
Chasin' My Cat" is one of the better records in
what's starting out as a slow year for quality releases.
This one is put out by Blues Club International and
no website/e-mail is listed but they can be contacted
at 410-433-8100. Well worth the effort to seek out.
(Jeff Harris)
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