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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: |
Robert Belfour: Pushin
My Luck (Fat Possum) 
Joe Callicott: Ain't Gonna Lie To You (Fat Possum)
Year after
year the Fat Possum label continues it's commitment to
record the deep, dark and still vital Mississippi blues
tradition giving voice to a stable of artists who otherwise
might not be heard. Such is the case with Robert Belfour,
a powerful country bluesman making his sophomore record
with "Pushin My Luck" and the late and under-recorded
Joe Callicott who's recordings up to now were out of print.
Robert
Belfour seemingly came out of nowhere in 2000 with his
superb debut "What's Wrong With You." His only
other recordings at the time appeared on the obscure German-based
Hot Fox label, playing eight songs on a 20-song compilation,
"The Spirit Lives On, Deep South Country Blues and
Spirituals in the 1990s." If anything the 63 year
old Belfour sounds even better on the ten songs that comprise
"Pushin My Luck" a deep, dark and utterly compelling
set of Mississippi blues. Before moving to Memphis in
the late 60's, Belfour called Holley Springs his home
and was certainly influenced by his neighbor Junior Kimbrough.
Like Kimbrough and R.L. Burnside, another regional product,
Belfour plays a regional style of blues that is highly
rhythmic, with repetitive riffing that creates an almost
hypnotic quality. Belfour, however, is a more polished
player showing off some astonishing acoustic fret work
and powerful, burnished vocals. Belfour's intricate, propulsive
guitar work, backed by just a drummer, is seductive drawing
the listener in on dark tales like "Breaking My Heart",
"Pushin' My Luck", "I Got My Eyes On You"
and "Crazy Ways."
"Ain't
A Gonna Lie To You" collects some magnificent recordings
by 'Mississippi' Joe Callicott recorded by George Mitchell
in 1967 in Nesbit, Mississippi. Callicott first found
his way on record in 1929 as the second guitarist on Garfield
Aker's legendary two-parter "Cottonfield Blues"
and a year later he recorded "Traveling Mama Blues"
and "Fare Thee Well Blues" under his own name.
By the time Mitchell caught up with him Callicott had
just recently taken up the guitar again and while he had
slowed with age he was still an exceptional bluesman.
Callicott plays a gentle propulsive style of blues that
had close affinities to the music of Mississippi John
Hurt. Callicott was also a wonderfully moving singer often
employing effective falsetto. This is a beautiful collection
of back porch blues with highlights going to his remake
of "Fare Thee Well Blues", "Laughing To
Keep from Crying", "Come Home To Me Baby"
and "Let Your Deal Go Down." As good as this
collection is, however, it could have been better. Running
time is only 40 minutes and there are at least another
half dozen sides Callicott cut in 1967 that could have
been included. A wonderful record but something of a missed
opportunity. The good news is that this is the first in
a series of discs Fat Possum will be releasing from Mitchell's
archives most of which are currently unavailable.
Anyone
with an interest in country blues will certainly want
to investigate both of the fine releases which illustrate
the continuity of the Mississippi blues tradition, one
that still remains vital and powerful.
-Check out
these related links:
What's
Wrong With You
Joe
Callicott Discography
(Jeff Harris)
|
Skinny Williams And Erwin
Helfer: St. James Infirmary (The Sirens)
Various Artists: Primitive Piano (The
Sirens)
There was time when the
piano was a prime blues instrument but sadly over the years
it's become something of a dying art.
The Chicago based The Sirens label is doing their part to
keep the tradition alive specializing in quality releases
of new and vintage piano blues. The label's latest offering
include "St. James Infirmary" a beautiful collection
of duets by Chicago piano master Erwin Helfer and tenor
Skinny Williams and "Primitive Piano" a rough
and ready set of barrelhouse piano recorded back in 1957.
Erwin
Helfer has played and performed for over forty years
influenced by earlier Chicago legends like Cripple Clarence
Lofton, Jimmy Yancey and Sunnyland Slim. Despite an impressive
reputation Helfer's recorded output is rather slim. Luckily
The Sirens label is trying to rectify that slight first
by issuing last year's marvelous "I’m Not Hungry But
I Like To Eat– Blues!" and now with "St.
James Infirmary" a
classy, beautifully played set of
standards. This time out Helfer is joined by tenor man Skinny
Williams a big toned player with a bluesy, feathery touch
that brings to mind greats like Ben Webster and Ike Quebec.
The interplay between the two is remarkable bringing a real
depth of feeling to this collection of jazz and blues standards.
There's an intimate, late night feel to much of the material
including lovely readings of "St.
James Infirmary", "Trouble
In Mind", "See See Rider" and "Stormy
Weather." The duo handle the up-tempo tunes with equal
ease including some serious boogie woogie chops on "Pooch
Piddle" and a soulful rendition of Jimmy Smith's "Back
At The Chicken Shack."
"Primitive Piano"
is a reissue of a 1957 collection of boogie woogie pianists
recorded by Erwin Helfer and originally issued on the Tone
label the same year. The material has been reissued in different
forms throughout the years but what makes this new reissue
so special is the addition of eight newly discovered tracks
which Helfer found in his basement. The four pianists include
Speckled Red, Doug Suggs, Billie Pierce and James Robinson.
Speckled Red is perhaps the best known recording his seminal
"The Dirty Dozen" in 1929 and cutting some twenty
sides during the 20's and 30's in addition to backing folks
like Tampa Red and Robert Lee McCoy. Red is in fine boisterous
form particularly on "Early In The Morning" a
remake of a song he recorded for Bluebird in 1938 and "Oh
Red." James Robinson recorded three songs in 1931 prior
to these recordings and delivers a pair of low-down, moving
performances particularly on his "Bat's Blues."
Billy Pierce also had ties to the early days of blues providing
accompaniment behind Bessie Smith and Ida Cox among others.
She's in fine form on the bawdy "Keep A Knockin', the
low-down "Florida Blues" and a moving version
of the spiritual "Bye and Bye" with husband DeDe.
Doug Sugg's honed his chops at Chicago house rent parties
playing with PineTop Smith, Albert Ammons, Jimmy Yancey
and others all who he recalls in a fascinating interview
included here for the first time. Suggs is a bit rusty but
still has good chops most evident on the newly discovered
"Smoke Like Lightning."
Specializing in piano
blues isn't going to make anyone wealthy but The Sirens
label is playing an important role in keeping the tradition
from disappearing and they deserved to be commended. Both
of these records come highly recommended as do their prior
releases, reviews of which can be found below.
-Check out
these related links:
Previous
The Sirens Reviews
The
Sirens Website
(Jeff Harris)
|
 Joe
Louis Walker: She's My Money Maker (JSP)
After
a three year recording hiatus Joe Louis Walker has stormed
back with a vengeance issuing three very different and
very good records in the past 15 months. On "She's
My Money Maker" Walker sounds as energized as ever
as he centers this album around his blazing slide guitar
playing.
Walker
burst on the scene in 1986 with the stellar "Cold
Is the Night" on the Hightone label (the same label
who brought the world Robert Cray).
Through the years Walker has proved time and again that
he's one of the leading younger bluesmen on the scene.
Walker infuses his traditional blues sound with plenty
of soul and a willingness to try different things. This
willingness to experiment makes each new Walker album
truly something to look forward to and his past three
albums in particular have been dazzling and unpredictable.
"She's My Money Maker" is firmly in the traditional
blues camp with Walker's fine slide playing front and
center.
Walker
is a talented slide player who's used it sparingly on
his previous albums. The reason for this slide driven
outing is simple enough as Walker explains: "I've
been asked hundreds of times why I don' record a slide
guitar album and this new JSP recording satisfies that
love." Indeed it does as Walker's slippery slide
work gets a major workout on theses ten songs. As on
his 2002 JSP release, "Guitar Brothers", this
another balls to the wall guitar record played mostly
fast and furious. Walker takes off with the rocking
good time opener "Slow Down GTO" and keeps
the octane high on the Butterfield Blues Band classic
"Born In Chicago" a tribute to old friend
Michael Bloomfield and honors both Hookers (John Lee
and Earl) on the instrumental "Hooker's Blues."
Some of the mid-tempo numbers are the best particularly
the soulful "Poor Man Blues", the like themed
"Ghetto Life", the slinky "No Easy Kind
Of Loving" and the stripped down "Eight Years
Of Lovin'" with Walker playing harp to a piano
accompaniment. As always walker invests everything with
a sweaty, soulful passion that few contemporary bluesman
can invoke.
"She's
My Money Maker" reveals
yet another side of the vastly talented Joe Louis Walker
and his energy and enthusiasm show no signs of abating.
If you've yet to check out Walker any one of his recent
records are
highly recommended- this one included of course!
-Check
out past reviews of Joe Louis Walker:
Guitar
Brothers
In
The Morning
Pasa
Tiempo
Silvertone
Blues
(Jeff Harris)
|
.JPG) Nick
Moss: Count Your Blessings (Blue Bella)
Just
in time to kick off the summer BBQ season, Handy Award nominee
Nick Moss lays out a tasty mixed bag of recipes on the picnic
table. A seasoned supporting cast, peppered by some original
tunes combined with Nick's meaty talent provides good eating
for those backyard speakers. "Count Your Blessings"
on Blue Bella Records includes blues greats Sam Myers, Anson
Funderburgh, Willie Big Eyes Smith, Barrelhouse Chuck, some
tasty work from Lynwood Slim and a fine band with wife Kate
(rhythm guitar), Andy Lester (bass), Greg Campbell (drums)
and occasionally Johnny Bradley on bass.
The CD
has an entirely different energy than Nick's last effort,
"Got A New Plan", with a more whimsical approach.
The goal appears to be "have fun" and "don't
take yourself too seriously". Nick's dedication to
the authentic Chicago Blues has been witnessed countless
times and this CD is no exception. Production-wise overall
is a notch above "Got a New Plan" with Nick's
vocals being more upfront this time. Nick's writing reverts
more to his Chicago Blues roots and less to standing out
and making a statement as in his last CD.
"Count
Your Blessings" can be broken down into two distinct
records: Nick as frontman and Nick as sideman, with Nick's
originals in the first half of the CD and classic covers
featuring lead vocals by Sam Myers, Anson, Barrelhouse Chuck
and company on the second half. The production feel is very
live throughout the record and there are distinct consistencies
- Nick's hot guitar playing and a strong rhythm section
that ties this all together. The performances are spontaneous
and nothing appears contrived or hokey.
Barrelhouse
Chuck is a fine addition to the Nick Moss band as he compliments
Nick's guitar throughout the record. I witnessed a live
performance with the two and it definitely is the sum of
the parts with the two together on stage. When Nick takes
more of a back seat on the vocals and a front seat as sideman,
he seems more relaxed. I sense that Nick doesn't love signing
as much as he loves playing and his ego has no problem with
sharing the stage. Nick is a humble artist, but not a push
over, which comes from growing up in the Blues scene.
There
are a variety of styles on "Count Your Blessings"
ranging from electric Chicago Blues to Booker T & the
MG's to Memphis Boogie to Dick Dale. The majority of the
tunes carry the Chicago Blues sound and the instrumentals
are strong. It wouldn't hurt for Nick to include more instrumentals
on his records, as his playing definitely can carry it off
- he's not afraid to go out on a limb. Nick captures each
style invisibly as only a true student to the Blues could.
The original
songs that are the strongest for me are "Do You Know",
"Hip Toss" (Booker T), "I'm Mad" (down
home Chi-town Blues), "So Tired" (great harmonica),
and "W-A-S-T-E-D" (Memphis Boogie). Nick stands
out especially on the track, "I Chose to Sing the Blues"
with his wah-wah guitar. Lynwood does a great job on the
vocals on this one that's reminiscent of the Mike Bloomfield/Al
Kooper super session sound. What can one say about Sam Myers,
other than the man is a character and it's good for Sam
to have his usual man, Anson Funderberg on his tracks. Especially
fun is the song "She Brought Life Back to the Dead"
sung by Sam. The harmonica tracks from both Lynwood and
Curtis are very good throughout the CD. A real treat is
hearing Barrelhouse Chuck do "Barrelhouse Woman".
This
ensemble creates that down home Chicago Blues sound that's
perfect for the summer BBQ. This CD lays out the biggest
spread of the summer, so "Count Your Blessings"
by picking this up at your local record store or contact
Blue Bella records at www.bluebella.com.
-Check out
past reviews of Nick Moss:
Got
A New Plan
[This review
is copyright © 2003 by Dave Glynn, and Blues On Stage
at: www.mnblues.com,
all rights reserved. Copy, duplication or download prohibited
without written permission]
|
 Tab
Benoit: The Sea Saint Sessions (Telarc)
Tab Benoit is one of
the leading lights among the younger crop of bluesmen,
getting better and better with each successive release.
On the heels of last year's acclaimed "Wetlands"
(his best) comes "The Sea Saint Sessions" another
swampy, soulful outing from this Louisiana blues slinger.
Benoit was born in
Baton Rouge and still calls Louisiana his home. It was
in Baton Rouge where he started hanging around the legendary
Tabby's Blues Box learning from local legends who frequented
the joint. Benoit has that Louisiana sound deep down in
his bones and it was never more evident on 2002's marvelous
"Wetlands", a record that may well go down as
a classic. You couldn't ask for a better follow-up then
"The Sea Saint Sessions" another gritty, passionate
ode to his bayou home.
The title of Tab's
new CD refers to the historic Sea-Saint Studio in New
Orleans where all of the early Neville Brothers, Meters,
Professor Longhair, Earl King, Guitar Slim and Allen Toussaint
records were recorded. The history of that place must
have been infectious as Tab conjures up a rootsy, swampy
feel on a collection of sweet ballads and rocking blues.
The overall vibe is a loose, live feel backed with just
bass and drums as Tab lays down plenty of sweetly stinging
guitar and a gritty, soulful voice that really puts across
this collection of mostly original tunes. Also along for
the ride are local guests stars Cyril Neville, Chief Monk
Boureaux, George Porter and Brian Stoltz. There's plenty
of variety here and just about everything works from the
shuffling Big Easy beat of "Boat Launch Baby",
the gentle groove of "Hustlin' Down In New Orleans",
an affectionate ode to New Orleans famed sidewalk musicians,
the rocking "Making The Bend" featuring George
Porter and the funky, loose, feel of "Plareen Man"
that sounds like it was cut on the spot with Cyril Neville
taking the vocals. If anything the ballads are even more
impressive including a knockout rendition of Guitar Slim's
"Sufferin' Mind", the beautiful "What I
Have To Do" and the world weary feel of "Monk's
Blues" featuring Chief Monk on vocals with Tab taking
the backing vocals.
Tab Benoit has been
putting out solid records since the early 90's but he's
never sounded better than he does right now. "The
Sea Saint Sessions" shows a mature artist at the
peak of his powers with sound that's all his own. Easily
one of the year's best.
-Check out
these related links:
Wetlands
Tab Benoit Website
(Jeff Harris)
|
 Charles
Walker: Number By Heart (Zane)
Veteran
singer Charles Walker is throwback to the glory days of
soul music with a sound that evokes those great 45's on
the Hi and Stax labels. "Number By Heart" is
a smoldering 'deep soul' record by a true soul survivor.
Walker
made a terrific comeback record for the now defunct Cannonball
label back in 200 called "Leavin' This Old Town"
and it's great to have him back. Walker launched his career
back in 1959 with "Slave To Love" on the Champion
label following up with 45's on the Fury, Chess, and Decca
labels. In the 60s his group Charles and the Sidewinders
were one of the most in demand soul bands on the NYC nightclub
scene. In the 80s, Walker relocated to Europe where he
found an eager audience for his music. He returned to
to his hometown of Nashville in the 90's where he hooked
up with producer/guitarist Fred James who was instrumental
in getting Walker back in the studio. James also produced
this latest release and simply put, it's a knockout old
school soul workout.
While
Walker's last record explored R&B, blues and soul
this one is a straight up 'deep soul' record and Walker's
aching, passionate vocals have never sounded better. Walker
knows how to put across a song using impeccable phrasing,
timing and a veteran's ability to move from a soulful
vulnerability to a cocky assuredness. Backing is provided
by a fine band including Fred James' tasteful guitar playing
in addition to some fine horns and moody organ/piano from
Billy Earheart. Walker's smoldering vocals sound particularly
good on the slower tunes like "Number By Heart"
with a great hook that sounds like a lost soul classic,
the pleading "I Just Want To Love Somebody"
and especially the aching "We Got A Secret"
a beautiful tale of illicit love that brings to mind James
Carr's "Dark End of The Street." Walker kicks
it up a few notches on up-tempo, funky numbers like "One
Man's Poison" and the slinky, horn propelled "Snake
Juice" that sounds like something straight out of
Muscle Shoals.
"Number
By Heart" has the timeless quality of the best soul
music and big hand should go to Fred James who did a stellar
job producing this one and Peter Thompson of Zane records
who came up with idea for this record. This one's a stunner
and one that should be sought out by all fans of soul
music. For more info visit www.zanerecords.com.
(Jeff Harris)
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More Reviews==>
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