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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: |
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 Jody
Williams: Return Of A Legend (Evidence) 
The buzz started a couple of years ago
in the blues community that legendary guitar slinger Jody
Williams was tentatively making a comeback after decades away
from the music business. Now two years down the road we have
Return Of A Legend, a masterful return to form from
one of the blues greatest guitar innovators.
Jody Williams is not exactly a household
name but if your a blues fan you've certainly heard his fiery,
creatively charged playing on numerous recordings. It's Williams
you're hearing on classics like Bo Diddley's "Who Do
You Love", Howlin' Wolf's "Forty-Four" and
Billy Boy Arnold's "I Wish You Would" and many others.
Williams recordings under his own have been few but among
guitarists instrumentals like "Lucky Lou" (the inspiration
for the classic "All Your Love") and "Moanin'
For Molasses" plus fine vocal performances like "You
May" have achieved cult-like status. By the 60's Williams
became disillusioned by the music business and needed a steadier
source of income. He was also sick of his innovative guitar
licks being ripped off particularly the theme of "Love
Is Strange" which went on to be a huge song for Mickey
& Sylvia in 1957 with Williams never seeing a dime. Williams
worked for Xerox for 26 years, retiring in 1994 but it wasn't
until 2000 that he was finally coaxed back into performing.
With Return Of A Legend Williams comeback is complete
delivering a sizzling, masterful Chicago blues record.
Return Of A Legend is a blueprint
for how to successfully put together a comeback record expertly
produced by Dick Shurman who's played a big role in Williams
reemergence. Williams fiery, creatively juiced playing is
still as singular as ever full of stinging licks and unpredictable
twists and turns. Surrounding Williams is a great cast including
the always excellent Allen Batts on piano plus guests like
old partner Billy Boy Arnold and guitarists Sean Costello,
Tinsley Ellis and Rusty Zinn who all cite Williams as a major
influence. Williams remakes four of his classics including
a smoldering version of "Lucky Lou" helped along
by Tinsley Ellis (credited as the best to ever cover that
song), the minor key "You May" wonderfully sung
by Williams and featuring fine horns, the steamy "Moanin'
For Molasses" aided by Sean Costello (the title track
off Costello's most recent CD) and "Jive Spot" and
updated version of "Five Spot" originally cut in
1954 with Otis Spann and B.B. King. The rest of the disc is
rounded out by great originals like "Come Over To My
House" featuring Billy Boy blowing some mean harp, the
shuffling "Lifelong Lover", the slow burning "She
Found A Fool And Bumped His Head" and the blistering,
funky "What You Gonna Do?."
Return Of A Legend is no overstatement
and is a remarkable record for someone who's kept his guitar
under his bed for nearly three decades. This is undoubtedly
one of the hottest records of the year and certainly one of
the blues greatest comeback stories.
[For more background on Jody Williams read
the January/February 2002 issue of Living Blues magazine which
features Williams on the cover]
(Jeff Harris) |
Jimmy Dawkins: West Side
Guitar Hero (Fedora)
Tommy Bankhead: Please Accept My Love (Fedora)
In their brief existence
the Fedora label has made a name for itself by consistently
putting out top notch blues records focusing mainly on lesser
known but deserving artists. Fedora's newest releases spotlight
well known Chicago veteran Jimmy Dawkins on his first record
in many years and St. Louis veteran Tommy Bankhead on a
recording he cut just months before he passed away.
The last time Jimmy Dawkins was in
the studio was back in 1997 for the now defunct Ichiban
label which is far too long to hear from this talented artist.
Dawkins is one of the few remaining purveyors of the hard
edged, aggressive West Side style of Chicago blues playing
in the tradition of guys like Otis Rush, Buddy Guy, Mighty
Joe Young and Magic Sam. Dawkins came up to Chicago in 1955
right when the West Side style was starting to catch fire
and became friends with many of the up an coming West Side
legends. Dawkins had to wait until 1969 before cutting his
debut for Delmark, Fast Fingers, which garnered him
some big time attention. West
Side Guitar Hero harks back to those early days boasting
a lean, mean stripped down sound. Dawkins' slashing, chunky
guitar lines are right up front where they belong and his
vocals are equally intense. Backing is from a tight combo
featuring bass, drums, guitar and some moody organ playing
from John Suhr. All the songs are Dawkins originals opening
with the funky mid-tempo "Alley Mae", the soulful
R&B of "I'm What You Need", and scorching
blues numbers like "Sweet Li'L Mama" and "Dollar
Head Woman." Dawkins really shows off his tough guitar
work on the instrumentals "Jammin' Guitar" and
the blistering "Wess Cide Rock."
Tommy Bankhead's stinging, economical
guitar playing is from a whole different school than the
muscular playing of Jimmy Dawkins. Bankhead has been associated
with the St. Louis blues scene for something like fifty
years running with the likes of Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy
Williamson just to name a few. He cut some low profile records
up until last year's excellent Message To St. Louis,
his debut for Fedora. Please Accept My Love is a
worthy follow up and makes a fitting epitaph for this St.
Louis legend. Despite being recorded just months before
he succumbed to emphysema (he died December 16, 2000) this
a remarkably strong record of straight ahead blues. Bankhead
is backed by a superb cast of St. Louis session players
including the sparkling piano playing of Bob Lohr who's
done some fine work for harp man Arthur Williams. Bankhead's
fluid, uncluttered guitar work and soulful vocals shine
on a mostly original set including the driving "I'm
Not Your Alley Cat", the moving "Please Accept
My Love", some serious guitar work on "If You
Call That Gone" and the autobiographical "Me &
My Oxygen Tank." Other highlights include fine covers
of Big Maceo's "Worried Life Blues" and the jumping
Chick Willis classic, "Stoop Down." Please
Accept My Love is a classy and dignified final curtain
call.
Both of these records are up to the
Fedora's usual high standards and those searching for the
"real deal' blues will find much to savor in both of
these excellent releases.
(Jeff Harris)
|
 Tab
Benoit: Wetlands (Telarc)
Since the
early 90's Louisiana bred Tab Benoit has released a string
of very good swampy, guitar driven records that mark him
as one of the best of the younger generation of bluesman.
Wetlands is one of his finest outings and should
take his popularity to new heights.
Tab Benoit
got turned on to the blues when he started hanging out
at Tabby Thomas' Blues Box in Baton Rouge where he got
the opportunity to sit in with Tabby, Raful Neal, Henry
Gray and many other regional and national legends. Benoit
obviously learned his lessons well and his music shows
a deep respect for the classic Louisiana sounds. On Wetlands
the Louisiana vibe is unmistakable and Benoit uses it
to create a vibrant, rootsy sound that's all his own.
Make no
mistake that Wetlands is a blues album but Benoit's
genius is how he deftly mixes in elements of Cajun, rock
and Zydeco to create a simmering downhome musical gumbo.
Benoit is is fiery, tasteful guitar player and the album
is filled with his stinging licks and he's also a gritty,
soulful singer particularly shining on the ballads. Backing
Benoit is tight, stripped down band featuring Anders Osborne
on guitar- a fine artist in his own right who has has
a number of good CD's to show for it. Benoit shows his
respect for the Louisiana tradition on fine regional covers
like the rocking "I Got Loaded", the shuffling
Zydeco laced "Dog Hill" a tribute to the recently
passed Boozoo Chavis and a great cover of the little known
Professor Longhair gem, "Her Mind Is Gone."
Benoit skillfully creates the Zydeco sound by emulating
both the accordion and rubboard on his guitar. Benoit
shows real depth on the originals particularly the downhome,
country feel of "Stackolina" with some great
harp blowing, the tough menacing sound on "Muddy
Bottom Blues" and a pair of gorgeous acoustic ballads
on "When A Cajun Man Gets The Blues" and "Georgia"
which may be the album's two finest moments.
Tab
Benoit has got talent to burn and despite being a fantastic,
hard edged guitar player he's never gone the easy route
and opted for blues-rock fame. Wetlands is a smoldering
downhome affair from a young bluesman who's really got
his own sound.
(Jeff Harris)
|
 Corey
Harris: Live At Starr Hill (Njumba Music)
One
of the more positive trends in blues in recent years has
been the emergence of some very talented African-American
acoustic players with a deep reverence for traditional blues.
Corey Harris is one of the best traditional players on the
scene but in recent records he's added a new dimension,
stretching out into a more innovative, eclectic approach.
Both of these facets of his music are displayed perfectly
on the 2-CD set Live At Starr Hill.
At 25
Corey Harris delivered his stunning debut Between Midnight
And Day an incredibly accomplished set of traditional
blues. Since then Harris has released three more records
still rooted in traditional blues but showing an increasingly
creative and restless spirit. This creativity culminated
in 1999's Greens From The Garden where he fused blues,
world music, reggae and the sounds of his native New Orleans
into a dazzling, original musical statement. Harris' next
album, Downhome Sophisticate, will be out in May
on the Rounder label but if you can't wait you may want
to pick up Live At Starr Hill which does a fine job
illustrating his many talents.
Live
At Starr Hill was recorded in January 2001 at Starr
Hill Music Hall in Charlottesville, Virginia. Disc one features
Harris running through a solo acoustic set while the second
disc features his excellent band 5x5. The solo set is a
beautifully played set of thirteen mostly traditional tunes
featuring Harris on his national steel and showcasing his
husky, soulful vocals. Harris' approach to this music never
sounds academic, coming through as powerfully authentic
on fine versions of Blind Blake's "CC Pill Blues",
Charley Patton's "Pony Blues", Bukka White's "Parchman
Farm Blues" featuring some great bottleneck plus originals
like the good time raggy feel of "Shake What Your Mama
Gave You" and the lyrically potent "King Cotton."
Disc
2 finds Harris backed by his band 5x5 and is a much louder,
funkier blues/rock set. This may not appeal to all blues
fans but Harris and the band crank out a tough electric
set that treads somewhat in the territory of jam blues bands
like the North Mississippi All-Stars. The bulk of the tunes
are drawn from Greens From The Garden featuring tough
versions of the uncompromising "Lynch Blues",
"Wild West", the funky reggae groove of "Eh
La Bas" and a storming, mind blowing eleven minute
plus version of "Basehead." The set wraps up in
more traditional territory with a lengthy slide drenched
version of the blues classic "Sweet Black Angel."
Corey Harris is one of
the most talented and interesting of the younger generation
of bluesman who exudes boundless creativity and a truly
innovative approach to the blues. Live At Starr Hill
is an excellent document and captures the essence of what
makes Corey Harris' music so special. This CD is only available
through the Corey Harris website: www.coreyharrismusic.com
-Check out
these related reviews:
Greens
From the Garden
Vu-Du
Menz
(Jeff Harris)
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 Little
Charlie & The Nightcats: That's Big!
(Alligator)
Little Charlie
& The Nightcats remain one of the best working blues
bands around and certainly one of the most fun. That's
Big!, their eighth for the Aliigator label, is a typically
eclectic mix of good time jivey West Coast blues.
Little
Charlie & The Nightcats have been entertaining West
Coast blues fans since the mid-70's but after some consistently
solid releases for Alligator the band has garnered a strong
national following. The Nightcats tread stylistically in
the same territory as hard working West Coast bluesman like
James Harmon (who guests on one track), Rod Piazza and Kid
Ramos but what sets the cats apart is a more eclectic, jazzy
approach. That's Big! ranks as a very good Nightcats
record boasting two new members who mesh seamlessly with
the remaining veterans.
The heart and soul of
The Nightcats remain Little Charlie Baty's raw edged, jazzy
guitar licks and Rick Estrin's big chromatic harp blowing
and sly barroom vocals. New to the band are Frankie Randall
on electric and acoustic bass and Joey Ventitelli on drums.
As usual the album is filled with wry, humorous originals
and The Nightcats trademark retro sound blending West Coast
blues, jump and jazz. Among the highlights include the lightly
jumping "Weekend Off" with little Charlie laying
down some hot T-Bone Walker inspired licks behind a pair
of riffing horns, "That's Big" about a love for
those big women featuring James Harmon on second vocal,
the humorous jumping "Money Must Think I'm Dead"
and the stripped down "I'm A Steady Rollin' Man."
There's some particularly hot instrumentals including the
rocking "Bluto's Back" featuring down and dirty
guitar work from Little Charlie and guest Rusty Zinn and
the jump blues of "Bayview Jump" with rollicking
piano from Chris Siebert.
That's
Big! is yet another fine chapter for one America's best
working blues outfits combining great playing with a humorous
good time brand of blues that's sure to bring a smile to
your face.
(Jeff Harris)
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