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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: |
 Blues
Traveling: The Holy Sites Of Delta Blues
By Steven Cheseborough
(University Of Mississippi Press) 
I think
I share the dream of many blues fanatics when I say I've
always wanted to hop in the car and head down highway
61 to visit the place where the blues was born. Blues
Traveling:The Holy Sites of Delta Blues is an indispensable
book to bring along providing a detailed guide to blues
landmarks in Mississippi and surrounding areas.
Providing
detailed maps and driving instructions the author leads
us through places like Memphis, Helena (Arkansas), Clarksdale,
Greenwood, Rolling Fork, Jackson, Vicksburg and a host
of other tiny towns rich in blues history. Along the way
the author breezily points out all sorts of fascinating
blues landmarks providing just the right amount of historical
background. There's also some wonderful photos included.
Many famous
blues gravesites are documented including three supposed
spots where Robert Johnson may be buried as well as the
last resting places of Charlie Patton, Memphis Minnie,
Big Joe Williams, Sonny Boy Williamson, Elmore James and
countless others. The book documents a host of special
interest places like the Clarksdale station where Muddy
Waters boarded the train for Chicago, Jackson's King Edward
Hotel where the Mississippi Sheiks, Bo Carter and many
others artists recorded, the former site of Interstate
Grocer the company that sponsored the King Biscuit Time
radio show featuring Sonny Boy Williamson and countless
other such places.
The
book is not simply a nostalgia tour and covers numerous
still active juke joints, record shops and restaurants
with evocative names like Perry's Flowing Fountain, Queen
of Hearts, Poor Monkey's Jook Joint, Mr. B's Lounge and
many others. The author gives you the low down on where
to grab some great barbecue, catch live music or simply
where to grab a cold beer.
For
blues pilgrims looking to make the journey this guidebook
is required reading and should remain by your side as
you travel down those dusty Mississippi roads.
(Jeff Harris)
|
 Mem
Shannon: Memphis In The Morning
(Shanachie) 
Memphis
In The Morning continues Mem Shannon's streak of putting
out consistently satisfying and ambitious blues records.
His latest effort is filled with the kind of sharply written
songs that we've come to expect while musically soulful
and always funky.
Shannon is
a relative newcomer to the blues releasing his first record
in 1995. The record became somewhat of a media sensation
due to the unique circumstances. Basically Shannon was a
New Orleans cab driver who wanted to become a bluesman.
That's exactly what he did and the first record deals perceptively
with driving a cab and there's even actual snippets of conversation
from the passengers to add atmosphere. Shannon has gone
on to prove that first record was no mere gimmick and his
preceding records show him to be an excellent young bluesman
and one of the genre's best song writers.
Memphis
In The Morning is a fitting title since the record was
recorded at the famous Ardent Studios in Memphis and the
horn section is none other than the legendary Memphis Horns.
The Memphis Horns add just the right punch to Shannon's
mix of blues, funk and soul. One of the things that strikes
you first is Shannon's marvelous deep, soulful singing sounding
unlike anyone else. He's also a fine economical guitarist
obviously inspired by one of his main influences, B.B. King.
In fact the lone cover tune is B.B.'s "Why I sing The
Blues" given a stellar reading with the hard time lyrics
still resonating strongly. It's the originals numbers that
set Shannon apart like the pulsing "Drowning On My
Feet" which opens with a joyous horn blast and the
uplifting "Doing The Best That I Can" or "Memphis
In The Morning" a wonderful smoky ballad about the
life of a traveling bluesman. Certainly one of the highlights
is the funky, funny "S.U.V" with a refrain I'm
sure many of us can relate to-"I'm sick of these SOB's
driving these S.U.V.'s"! This one's destined to be
a classic.
Shannon continues
to create ambitious, thought provoking and down right entertaining
music. Memphis In The Morning is another fine installment
in Shannon's impressive catalog.
(Jeff Harris)
|
 Chris
Cain: Cain Does King (Blue Rock'It)
Chris
Cain burst on the national scene in the mid-80's with his
crisp, clean lead guitar work garnering a heap of praise
as one of the best traditional minded young players around.
Cain has always been compared to his idol B.B. King and
on Cain Does King the resemblance is remarkable.
Cain
burst out of the Bay Area scene in 1987 with Late Night
City Blues which was rewarded with four Handy Award
nominations. Since then he's released a number of well received
records for Blues Rock'It and Blind Pig. Cain Does King,
his first in 5 years, is simply an amazing tribute to Cain's
primary influence and is one of the few tribute records
that's really something special.
Cain
obviously spent many hours studying B.B. King's records
and his recreation of King's fluid always soulful playing
is absolutely dead on. Cain is one of the few modern players
up to the task, playing in a very traditionally minded style
displaying no rock leanings whatsoever. He also possesses
a booming voice that bares an uncanny likeness to King's.
Backed by a tight band and swinging horn section Cain avoids
B.B.'s more popular songs instead focusing on lesser known
gems from the 1950's to the 70's. "Looking The World"
is one of the lone early 50's sides with the rest focusing
on B.B.'s ABC period of the late 60's and 70's. Highlights
include a stunning cover of "Gambler's Blues"
with an almost note for note recreation of the song's famous
opening solo, the swaggering "Heartbreaker" and
a scorching reading of the instrumental "House Rocker."
Other standouts include the rocking "Whole Lot Of Lovin'"
and "Better Not Look Down" an underrated late
70's gem with a wonderful catchy, gospel tinged feel.
Cain
Does King is played with plenty of passion and fire
and emphasizes not only what makes B.B. King so influential
but also what makes Chris Cain one of the best straight
ahead blues players around.
(Jeff Harris)
|
 J.C.
Burris: Blues Professor (Arhoolie)
Despite
a lifetime revolved around the blues J.C. Burris toiled
in relative obscurity until his death in 1988. Blues
Professor collects 20 tracks by this remarkable and
powerful bluesman which make up the bulk of his recorded
legacy.
J.C.
Burris' uncle was none other than Sonny Terry whom he
learned his style from and you would be forgiven in mistaking
the two on first listen. Burris worked with Terry for
a spell even recording with him for the Folkways and Prestige/Bluesville
labels. Work remained a struggle however, with various
short gigs and scattered festival appearances. The recordings
on Blues Professor include the majority of the
album he cut for the Arhoolie label in 1975 plus ten tracks
from a demo cassette that Arhoolie owner Chris Strachwitz
deemed too good to leave out. The results are a powerful,
uniquely personal blues statement that makes for compelling
listening.
Burris
is a fine muscular harmonica player who plays in a driving,
propulsive style. He's also a strong, moving singer who
delivers his well crafted personal songs with plenty of
conviction. With just Burris playing solo the record comes
off as a very intimate affair but he manages to sustain
interest with with some wonderful songs. Burris pours
his heart out on the beautiful, uplifting tunes like "River
Of Life", "Rain In Your Life" and the wonderfully
descriptive "City By The Bay." Other fine numbers
include the witty "Blues Professor" plus a trio
of rambling songs like "You Got To Roam", "Where
Am I Bound" and the marvelous "Highway Blues"
where Burris plays African rhythm bones (two ebony sticks
held and clicked together like castanets). A number of
the demo songs are can be considered low-fi and few recorded
live which all add to the wonderful introspective feel
of this record.
Blues Professor
is a excellent document of a truly remarkable artist whose
music deserves to be heard by a wider audience. The set
is rounded out by an insightful ten page booklet which
includes the original LP liner notes plus new notes by
Chris Strachwitz.
(Jeff Harris)
|
 Memphis
Jug Band: The Best Of (Yazoo)
In Yazoo
Record's third installment of their new "best of"
series we are treated to 23 marvelous tracks by the Memphis
Jug Band, arguably the greatest jug band of all time.
The amazing musicianship, wide repertoire and the sheer
entertainment make this an indispensable collection for
fans of early blues music.
The Memphis Jug Band was formed by Memphis musician
Will Shade who gathered together a changing but always
brilliant collection of musicians. What makes the music
so fascinating is the band's wide repertoire which incorporated
blues, rags, vaudeville, hokum, country and just about
every other strain of early American muisc. The band was
very popular recording eighty or so sides between 1927
and 1934 before changing musical tastes finally caught
up with them. This "best of" collection captures
some of the group's finest moments with exceptional sound
quality.
While the band's personnel changed frequently, Will
Shade obviously made a concerted effort to line up the
finest musicians for the recording sessions. The band
was very much a group effort usually anchored by a two
guitar arrangement featuring some fine guitarists including
Shade himself, Will Weldon, Charlie Burse and a number
of others. Other instruments included kazoo, mandolin
or banjo and the brilliant Jab Jones on jug and occasional
vocals. The group also employed some fine woman singers
such as the dynamic Hattie Hart and the legendary Memphis
Minnie. Hart shines on on the strutting "Cocaine
Habit Blues", sings powerfully ala Bessie Smith on
"Ambulance Man" and movingly on the lowdown
"Memphis Yo Yo Blues." Memphis Minnie appears
on the tough straight blues of "Meningitis Blues"
from 1930. Other highlights include the romping "On
The Road Again" with some great un-PC-like lyrics,
the forlorn train song "K.C. Moan", the upbeat
hokum style of "You May Leave, But This Will Bring
You Back" with some virtuoso mandolin playing from
Will Weldon, the dreamy "Going Back to Memphis"
and many others. Above all else the music is exuberant
and utterly infectious.
The
Best Of The Memphis Jug Band makes the perfect introduction
to this marvelous and unique music. The Memphis Jug band
were certainly one of the great bands of all time and
this collection will give you a fascinating glimpse into
the freewheeling, genre crossing world of early American
rural music.
(Jeff Harris)
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