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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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 W.C.
Clark: From Austin With Soul (Alligator) 
W.C. Clark is rightfully considered
a legend in Texas and has long been known as "The Godfather
of Austin Blues." His previous records have netted him
a pair of Handy Awards and a load of critical raves. Among
the general blues population he's not exactly a household
name but should they get a hold of From Austin With Soul
I suspect there would be plenty of converts.
W.C. Clark has
been playing the blues on the vibrant Austin scene for over
40 years and has rightly earned his "Godfather"
title. Clark has mentored and played with all the better known
Austin blues artists including Stevie and Jimmie Vaughn, Lou
Ann Barton, Marcia Ball and Angela Strehli. In the late 70's
Clark formed his own band, The W.C. Clark Blues Revue, and
in 1986 cut his self-released debut. In the early 90's he
hooked up with Black Top label and cemented his reputation
by releasing three terrific records earning a Handy Award
for Soul Blues Album Of The Year in 1997 and a Handy in 1998
for Artist Most Deserving of Wider Recognition. After four
years away from the studio Clark sounds better than ever on
From Austin With Soul, a sweaty, soul drenched Texas
blues record that will undoubtedly be on the short list for
best blues records of 2002.
On From Austin With Soul, his
debut for Alligator, Clark does what he does best melding
tough, brassy Texas roadhouse blues with a sweet Memphis soul
sound. Clark pulls it off with some sizzling guitar fireworks
but even more so with that tremendously soulful voice that's
equally adaptable to gritty Texas blues and sweet sounding
soul. On the more soul drenched cuts Clark's vocals owe more
of a debt to Memphis soul legends like O.V. Wright and especially
Al Green than to any Texas influences. Helping to deliver
the message is a top notch band of Austin veterans featuring
the punchy Texas Horns led by Kaz Kazanoff, Riley Osborne
on keyboards, and rhythm guitars by Derek O'Brien and Pat
Boyack. The thirteen cuts include five originals and some
excellent covers. Clarence Carter's funky "Snatching
It Back" gets things started in storming fashion and
among the other standout covers are Gatemouth's Brown's sizzling
low-down "Midnight Hour Blues" featuring a torrid
guitar workout, the pulsing O.V. Wright soul burner "I've
Been Searching", the rocking "Don't Mess Up A Good
Thing" a duet with Marcia Ball who also plays piano and
a tough version of "Get Out Of My Life Woman." Among
the other cuts are a pair of knockout soul ballads in the
simmering "How Long Is A Heartache Supposed to Last?"
a stunning showcase for Clark's vocals as is Johnny Adams'
"Real Livin' Hurtin' Man" and the chugging R&B
of "I'm Gonna Disappear", one of the album's best
originals.
From Austin With Soul is Clark's
finest date since 94's fabulous Texas Soul, with everything
falling into place to nail exactly what makes W.C. Clark's
soul-drenched blues so appealing. This of one of those rare
records that gets everything gloriously right.
(Jeff Harris) |
Erwin Helfer: I’m Not Hungry
But I Like To Eat– Blues! (The Sirens)
8 Hands On 88 Keys: Chicago Blues Piano Masters (The Sirens)
Heavy Timbre: Chicago Boogie Piano Masters (The Sirens)
If you're a big fan
of piano blues like myself it's disheartening to see such
a scarcity of new piano blues records. Thankfully the Chicago
based The Sirens label has stepped in to issue a pair of
excellent new piano blues CD's and a classic session from
the mid-70's. Erwin Helfer's is an acknowledged Chicago
master who despite a hefty reputation has recorded far too
little. I’m Not Hungry But I Like To Eat– Blues!
is an exceptional piano blues release and well worth the
wait. Helfer is also featured on 8 Hands On 88 Keys
a summit meeting of of great Chicago piano legends that
in some ways is a sequel to Heavy Timbre recorded
some 25 years earlier.
Erwin
Helfer is a formidable piano player
whether playing jazz or his specialty, boogie woogie. Helfer
has been honing his craft for over forty years mentored
and influenced by past Chicago legends like Cripple Clarence
Lofton, Speckled Red and Sunnyland Slim. Over the years
Helfer has issued a slim but impressive string of records
on his own Red Beans label, Flying Fish and a pair of CD's
on the Austrian CMA label. I’m
Not Hungry But I Like To Eat– Blues! finds him in peak
form playing solo on eleven cuts and accompanied by fine
saxophonist John Brumbach on the other four. Helfer is a
true piano master playing not only with a formidable technique
but also a deft, graceful touch whether on slow blues or
rousing boogie woogie numbers. On this wide ranging set
Helfer shows some serious boogie woogie chops on "Swanee
River Boogie", a romping version of the "Dirty
Dozens", a swinging version of the standard "Sheik
of Araby" and the original "Homage To Pete Johnson."
Equally good are slower paced numbers like Jelly Roll Morton's
"Sweet Substitute" featuring fine sax from John
Brumbach, a gorgeous version of "In A Sentimental Mood"
and "Stella" a tribute to one time partner Estelle
"Mama" Yancey.
8
Hands On 88 Keys (great title) also features Helfer
as well as Chicago veterans Pinetop Perkins, Detroit Junior
and the the youngster of the bunch, Barrelhouse Chuck. While
the Chicago piano blues scene is well past it's glory days
it good to see these gentleman keeping the tradition alive
and well. All the artists get to shine on their own as well
as collaborating with one another. Barrelhouse Chuck may
be the youngster but he's an impressive player and a very
good vocalist shining on the Sunnyland number "It's
You Baby" plus taking the vocals on "Pinetop's
Blues" with Helfer playing piano and Roosevelt Sykes'
"Miss Ida B." with Detroit Junior on piano. Detroit
Junior has lived and played in Chicago for the past fifty
years and is in fine form on soulful numbers like a remake
of his 1960 Bea & Baby record "I'm So Unhappy",
a great version of "Staggerlee" and a moving vocal
performance on "Ain't Nobody's Business" with
Helfer on piano. Helfer is showcased on the rollicking "Stop
Time Boogie" and a sublime "4 O'clock Blues."
At 88 Pinetop Perkins is rightly dubbed "the elder
statesman of blues piano" and is featured on the set's
final four cuts. Perkins has recorded solo only rarely making
these sides especially noteworthy as he delivers beautiful
laid back performances on "Grinder Man Blues",
"How Much More" and "How Long Blues."
Heavy
Timbre captures five legendary pianists at a "studio
party" in 1976 and can be seen as a precursor to the
above record. Once again Helfer is the common link on this
session that features sides by Blind John Davis, Sunnyland
Slim, Jimmy Walker and Willie Mabon. Blind John Davis was
a ubiquitous name on blues records of the 30's and 40's
playing with all the top Chicago artists such as Tampa Red,
Big Bill Broonzy and Sonny Boy Williamson among others.
Davis is in fine form whether on the stomping "Davis
Boogie" or the wistful "I Almost Lost My Mind."
Sunnyland Slim was another veteran of the Windy City playing
for more than 50 years with just about everyone worth mentioning
on the Chicago scene. Sunnyland's rumbling piano and powerhouse
vocals are heard on typically solid numbers like his signature
"She Got A Thing Goin' On" and "Gotta See
My Lawyer." Willie Mabon had some genuine R&B hits
for Chess in the 50's and remakes his 1952 chart topper
"I Don't Know" and the classic Willie Dixon penned
"Seventh Son" as well as the fine slow blues of
"World of Trouble." Helfer is is heard on a pair
of instrumentals including the storming "The Fives"
and the under recorded Jimmy Walker is showcased on a pair
of fine slow blues. As an added bonus are five newly discovered
tracks that capture the artists in a relaxed, informal setting
that make up in atmosphere for what they lack in sound quality.
Sadly, of the five artists, only Helfer is still alive to
carry on the tradition making this document all the more
valuable.
While piano blues was once a healthy
and thriving tradition it's sadly been marginalized in recent
decades to be replaced with the cult of the electric guitar.
These three CD's are first class piano blues records and
show that there are still a few keeping the tradition alive.
Sadly they also show how much we've lost of this once thriving
tradition. You can find out more about The Sirens label
by visiting their website at: www.thesirensrecords.com.
(Jeff Harris)
|
 John
Mooney: All I Want (Blind Pig)
John Mooney's
passionate Delta infused blues has been gracing records
and flooring live audiences for over two decades now.
All I Want is a typically intense outing with great
songs and plenty of hot, intense guitar playing.
If you
you want to know where Mooney sums up that white hot intensity
look no further than his association with Son House who
he met when both were living in Rochester, NY. Mooney
learned the fundamentals from the legendary bluesman first
hand and if there was a more intense player than House
I've yet to hear them. In the mid-70's Mooney relocated
to New Orleans where he's made his home ever since. If
Son House was a dominating influence so was the seductive
second-line rhythms of New Orleans and it's those twin
influences that dominate throughout All I Want.
All
I Want ranks as one of Mooney's best efforts backed
by a lean four piece band enlivened by the percussion
of Alfred "Uganda" Roberts whose playing has
graced records by New Orleans giants such as Dr. John,
Professor Longhair and Allen Toussaint among others. As
usual Mooney is at his fiery best whether playing electric
or acoustic on his 1931 National Steel and vocally he's
rarely sounded better. The program is split between originals
and well chosen covers. As on past releases Mooney takes
the listener on a journey through some dark and ominous
territory including the lead off track "All I Want"
an unrelentingly tough blues featuring some blistering
guitar, the slide drenched "Baby Please" a heartfelt
Delta blues featuring some of Mooney's most soulful singing
to date and the searing "Feel Like Hollerin'."
The original "Buried Treasure" is a humorous
hard luck blues with Mooney playing some fine acoustic
that lightens the mood a bit even inserting a sly reference
to recently passed New Orleans legend Ernie K-Doe. Mooney
sinks his teeth into fine covers including Willie Brown's
classic "Future Blues", a tough reading of Son
House's "Son's Blues" and the New Orleans vube
of Professor Longhair's "Hey Little Girl" featuring
some sensitive slide work. The only minor complaint is
that I would have liked to hear more of Roberts' percussion
work. I caught him playing with Mooney a few years ago
and he was simply phenomenal.
All
I Want shows Mooney at the top of his craft displaying
a passion and intensity that does justice to the Delta
blues tradition he so proudly carries on. Somewhere Son
House is smiling down.
-Check out
photos of Mooney
from the 2000 Pocono Blues Festival
(Jeff Harris)
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Little Pink Anderson:
Carolina Bluesman (Music Maker)
Various Artists: Blues Came To Georgia (Music Maker)
The Music
Maker Relief Foundation has been fighting the good fight
since the early 90's helping forgotten musicians with
the basic necessities of life. The support includes money
for medicine, rent, heat and assisting those musicians
who want to continue making music. For a nonprofit organization
they've done surprisingly well, successfully launching
Music Maker tours in America and Europe and issuing a
steady stream of quality blues records that likely would
be deemed uncommercial by other labels. Their latest offerings
are typically top notch affairs including the charming
country blues of Little Pink Anderson on Carolina Blues
and the diverse regional blues collection Blues Came
To Georgia.
Little
Pink Anderson is of course the son of the legendary Pink
Anderson a fine Piedmont fingerpicker who played a good
natured mix of folk and blues. Little Pink learned first
hand from his father who used take him with when he played
the medicine shows selling snake oil. The 1962 photograph
on the CD cover tells all you need to know about Little
Pink's influences portraying a nine year old sitting with
his father as they both hold guitars.
Besides
a self released cassette I believe this is Little Pink's
official debut. Carolina Blues showcases a masterful
country blues player displaying some exceptional guitar
chops and a soulful, aggressive vocal approach. Little
Pink plays all acoustic on this set accompanied by Cool
John Ferguson on guitar. The songs are drawn almost exclusively
from his dad's repertoire which includes mainly traditional
folk and blues tunes but played with so much good natured
charisma and passion that he makes these songs totally
his own. Little Pink evokes the relaxed charm of his father
tackling songs he obviously played with the old man including
the driving "South Forest Boogie", "Betty
And Dupree" that's saved from being just average
with a sublimely soulful guitar solo halfway through,
the vaudeville styled "He's In The Jailhouse Now",
"I Got Mine" featuring some jaw dropping finger
picking and first rate versions of standards like "Every
Day Of The Week", "Travellin' Man" and
"Greasy Greens." While the shadow of his father
looms large Little Pink is certainly his own man as he
succicintly states in the lead off track: "If anyone
should happen to ask you who sang this song, tell them
Little Pink Anderson been here and gone."
Blues
Came To Georgia was commissioned by the Georgia Music
Hall of Fame and collects fine rootsy performances by
thirteen Georgia blues artists. Georgia has produced many
great blues artists such as Blind Willie McTell, Barbecue
Bob, Curley Weaver among many others.
A number
of the musicians on this collection have appeared on other
Music Maker anthologies while others have had full length
records released. Those that have had full length albums
out include Guitar Gabriel who gets two cuts including
the lovely spoken word of "Old Man River" accompanied
by piano and mournful flugel horn, Cootie Stark on the
soulful "Send You Back To Georgia", Beverly
"Guitar" Watkins on the rocking "Miz Dr.
Feelgood" featuring her blistering guitar work, Eddie
Tigner, who played piano with Elmore James in the 50's,
on a stomping version of "CC Rider" and the
joyous Sonny Terry inspired harmonica of Neal Pattman
on "Market Blues", actually a reworking of Big
Bill Broonzy's "Moppers Blues." Other gems includes
a pair of fine songs by Precious Bryant who recently released
her excellent debut record, the moving acapella of Essie
Brooks on "Rain In Your Life", probably the
last recording by Frank Edwards who just passed away and
the bawdy "Yo-Yo" by ex-snake charmer and tent
show performer Willa Mae Buckner.
Both
of these CD's evoke the authentic down-home country blues
that you would think had vanished a long time ago. By
helping these forgotten musicians make ends meet and providing
an outlet for their music Music Maker is performing a
heroic service. Music Maker deserves your support and
I urge you to visit their website and learn more.
-Check out
these related websites:
Music
Maker
Georgia
Music Hall Of Fame
(Jeff Harris)
|
 Corey
Harris: Downhome Sophisticate
(Rounder)
Corey Harris
emerged in the mid-90's as one of the best of a talented
crop of African-American traditional blues players combining
an authentic sound with a deep knowledge of blues history.
Like his contemporary, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Harris isn't
that easy to pigeonhole and has charted an exciting an eclectic
course in recent years. Downhome Sophisticate is
his most far reaching record to date creating a unique musical
world that stretches well beyond blues.
Harris'
break from traditional blues was apparent with 1999's Greens
From The Garden a stunning synthesis of blues, world
music and more that worked extremely well. While that record
incorporated many different styles the foundation was still
based on a tradition of blues and the sounds of his New
Orleans hometown. Downhome Sophisticate, his debut
for Rounder, can be seen as the true follow-up to that record
(he cut the traditional sounding Vu-Du Menz with
Henry Butler in 2000) and ranges even further out adding
more rock and contemporary flourishes with a strong world
music vibe. Those who've been following Harris' progress
shouldn't be surprised by this record but more traditional
minded blues fans may be a bit perplexed.
Harris hasn't exactly
abandoned blues on this record but the biggest influence
appears to be African music. A clue can be found in the
liner notes where he thanks African musicians like Boubacar
Traorè and Ali Farka Toure. Where these musicians
chart a path from African music towards blues, Harris is
following a reverse path from blues towards a more African
influenced sound. This can be heard most prominently on
the lilting, exotic grooves of "Sista Rose" featuring
renowned African musician Olu Dara on wood trumpet, the
hypnotic "Black Maria" and "Money Eye."
Harris tackles more bluesy material on rocking versions
of "Don't Let The Devil Ride" and "Keep Your
Lamp Trimmed And Burning" playing some wailing slide
and treading similar blues-rock territory on these numbers
as the popular North Mississippi All-Stars. Other highlights
include the rollicking bluesy instrumental "BB",
the funky horn blasted "Frankie Doris" with a
catchy hook that should be a hit if given some airplay on
regular radio (don't hold your breath) and the funky, soulful
"Downhome Sophisticate" featuring Harris doing
some rap (it works). The traditional sounding instrumental
"Where the Yellow Crosses The Dog", featuring
some fine acoustic bottleneck, is the only song that takes
a nod back to Harris' early material.
Harris throws an eclectic
mix at the listener and while not everything works as well
as the songs mentioned, it's certainly not dull. Corey Harris
remains one of the most consistently
interesting musicians around (calling him a blues artist
at this point is too limiting) and seems to be traveling
well beyond his traditional blues roots. Whether blues fans
will travel with him is debatable but with the success of
of the above mentioned African artists and audiences hungry
for more traditional sounds (just look at the success of
the O Brother soundtrack), Harris could reach a vast
new audience hungry for his soulful and rootsy music.
-Check out
these related reviews:
Greens
From the Garden
Vu-Du
Menz
Live
At Starr Hill
(Jeff Harris)
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