Quarterly Publication of the
Lehigh Valley Blues Network
ISSUE 78
W inter 2009
LVBN to Hold Annual
Membership Meeting
The LVBN will hold their annual
Elections and host a General
Membership meeting on Sunday
February 15th at the Salisbury Fire
Company. The meeting will begin at
4PM sharp. Come early and have a
beverage and some food at the bar.
Board of Director positions and
President of the LVBN are all up for
election this year. The office of VicePresident is not due until 2010 (the
President and Vice-President hold
two-year terms, in alternating years).
A letter went out to all members in
October 2008 requesting nominees by
end of December 2008.
Board of Director duties include, but
are not limited to, attending monthly
Board of Directors meetings, staffing
the Sunday jam, assisting with our
quarterly Bluesnet publication, staff
LVBN events, staff LVBN booth at
area Blues Festivals. Also included
are Merchandising, web site, membership, and volunteer committee
involvement. (For more information
please see the LVBN By-Laws on our
web site www.lvbn.org) The work is
rewarding but sometimes falls inordinately on the board of directors’ shoulders.
Please plan to attend the General
Membership meeting on Sunday
February 15th. The Sunday Jam will
follow the meeting.
Annual Meeting
Sunday, February, 15
Salisbury Fire Co.
4 p.m. Sharp
Andrew ‘Jr. Boy’ Jones to Star
In Godfrey Daniels/LVBN Show
Mark your calendars for Saturday April
18, 2009 when the LVBN partners with
Godfrey Daniels to present WC Handy
nominee Andrew ‘Jr. Boy’ Jones.
Guitarist, songwriter and singer Andrew
"Jr. Boy" Jones began working professionally at age 16 with Freddie King's
backing band, the Thunderbirds. He
got his first guitar from his uncle, jazz
musician Adolphus Sneed. Jones cites
an eclectic array of influences: Freddie
King, Cornell Dupree and Larry
Carlton. For many years, he's backed
various Dallas-area vocalists on guitar,
but in the mid-1990s, he came into his
own as a vocalist with an album for
JSP Records, I Need Time (1997),
which showcases his crafty songwriting, great guitar playing, and powerful
singing.
In 1967, Jones joined Dallas-area
vocalist Bobby Patterson's outfit, the
Mustangs. Through most of the 1970s,
Jones backed various artists, including
Patterson, Johnnie Taylor and Charlie
Robertson. In late 1987, he went to
California and joined the Silent
Partners with bassist Russell Jackson
and drummer Tony Coleman, the latter
of whom is best known for his work with
B.B. King's orchestra. Jones recorded
with Bay-area piano player and singer
Katie Webster on her critically praised
Alligator Records album, Swamp
Boogie Queen.
Jones met harmonica player Charlie
Musselwhite at a Sonny Rhodes
recording session, and Musselwhite
persuaded him to stay in California and
join his band. Jones played guitar on
Musselwhite's three late-1980s/early1990s albums for Alligator Records
(Ace of Harps, In My Time, and
Signature). He also had the chance to
do some extensive world touring with
the harmonica master.
Andrew ‘Jr. Boy’ Jones
Jones left Musselwhite's band amicably in the mid-1990s and is now back in
Dallas, where he accompanies Dallasarea blues singers like R.L. Griffin, Hal
Harris and the Lowlifers, and others.
In early 2005, Andrew and 43rd Big
Idea Records began planning for Jr
Boy’s 4th CD a live recording that captures the true essence of Andrew’s
sound, enthusiasm and the spirit that
led to Jr Boy’s previous WC Handy
nomination and had catapulted him
back into the blues limelight as one of
this countries living blues legends.
Advance tickets are $15.00/$20.00 at
the door and available through Godfrey
Daniels – BYOB (Beer/Wine only)
www.godfreydaniels.org
610-8672390 • 7 East Fourth Street,
Bethlehem, PA 18015
Lehigh Valley Blues Network
PO Box 20865
Lehigh Valley, PA 18002-0865
www.lvbn.org
OFFICERS
President......................Walt Garvin
Vice President...Glenn Wasserman
Secretary...................Allison DelRe
Treasurer....................Mike Carlson
Directors...................Bill Hubbardl
Dave Irvine
Matt Roman
Lori Donovan
John White
COMMITTEES
Membership......Glenn Wasserman
Merchandising......................(open)
Concert..............Glenn Wasserman
Website.............Glenn Wasserman
NEWSLETTER
Managing Editor............Scott Davis
Assistant Editor..........John White
Writers..........................Walt Garvin
Carl Snyder
Dave Howell
Scott Davis
Photography.................Scott Davis
ADVERTISING
Full Page...........................$90.00
Half-Page..........................$50.00
Quarter-Page....................$30.00
Business Card...................$15.00
Contact:
Glenn Wassserman
[email protected]
DEADLINES
From the Prez
Greetings Blues Lovers!
Happy New Year and welcome to 2009 from all of your friends here at
the LVBN. I don’t know about you but there are quite a few people
who are glad to see 2008 hit the dustbin of history. Like them, I am
hopeful that 2009 will usher in the much-needed change for the New
Year.
This is the 1st edition of Bluesnet for the New Year and I want to
thank our editor, Scott Davis, for getting us off to a great start. The
LVBN has a lot of plans that you’ll find out about in this issue of
Bluesnet, so let’s give you a preview.
First off is the 25th International Blues Challenge scheduled for
February 4-7, 2009 in Memphis, TN. This event is hosted by The
Blues Foundation and its affiliates, including the LVBN. Representing
the LVBN this year is the Friars Point Band, and Donovan-Roberts will
be doing the honors in the Solo-Duo category. Good luck to everybody.
Our General Membership meeting and Board of Directors elections is
scheduled for the same month so please make your plans to attend
and vote for our officers and directors. Remember to renew your
membership, or if you are new to the LVBN join now, by registering on
line at our web site. Your support goes a long way in helping the
LVBN to keep the blues alive.
Later in April the LVBN will be partnering with Godfrey Daniels on
Bethlehem’s South Side to bring in WC Handy nominee “Andrew ‘Jr.
Boy’ Jones”. Get your tickets early for this show – It is sure to be one
you won’t want to miss. All of these stories are in this issue of
Bluesnet - So sit back, put on some Blues tunes, and enjoy your new
issue. Get in the groove and join the LVBN for what looks to be a
great New Year!
All the best!
All contributions and advertising must
be submitted by deadline:
Acceptable formats and items include
Microsoft Word, Text Files, e-mail,
PDF and image files. Materials can be
mailed to above address or e-mailed
to [email protected].
The Lehigh Valley Blues
Network is a non-profit
corporation dedicated to the
preservation and promotion
of the Blues in the greater
Lehigh Valley area.
2
Walt Garvin
The Lehigh Valley
Blues Network is a
proud affiliate of
www.wlvbn.org
ON THE AIR
MONDAY
6-8 P.M. ........The Dutchman Show
WMUH-FM 91.7......The Dutchman
Allentown, PA
6-8 P.M. ...............Briefcase Blues*
WLVR-FM 91.3.............Dave Behn
Bethlehem, PA
8-10 P.M. ........Solid Sender Show*
WLVR-FM 91.3................Jim Mertz
Bethlehem, PA
10 P.M.-1 A.M. ............The Rev Mr.
WLVR-FM 91.3
Capwell Show*
Bethlehem, PA
11 P.M.-1 A.M. ...........Blues Cruise
WDIY-FM 88.1
Allentown, PA
TUESDAY
3-5 P.M. ............Bluesday Tuesday*
WLVR-FM 91.3.........Rich Cristman
Bethlehem, PA
11 P.M.-1 A.M. ..............After Hours
WDIY-FM 88.1 .........Steve Capwell
Allentown, PA
WEDNESDAY
6-8 P.M. ......Bob’s Blues Collection
WMUH-FM 91.7.......Peter Chomka
Allentown, PA
SATURDAY
3-5 P.M. ...........................Bluesville
WDIY-FM 88.1 ...........Chicago Carl
Allentown, PA
and others
6-8 P.M. ........Cruisin’ for a Bluesin’
WMUH-FM 91.7...............Jim Mertz
Allentown, PA
Album of the Year
The Mannish Boys - Lowdown Feelin'
Curtis Salgado - Clean Getaway
Buddy Guy - Skin Deep
Janiva Magness - What Love Will Do
Elvin Bishop - The Blues Rolls On
7 P.M.-1 A.M. ........The Blues Show
WXPN-FM 88.5 ......Johnny Meister
Philadelphia, PA
*These shows air during school.
www.lvbn.org
3
25TH ANNUAL BLUES
CHALLENGE TO BE
HELD IN MEMPHIS
The 25th International Blues Challenge is scheduled for February 4-7, 2009 in Memphis, TN and
is sure to be a great one. The event is hosted by
The Blues Foundation and it’s affiliates, of which
the LVBN is a proud member.
Representing the LVBN this year in the Band category is the Friars Point Band. Friars Point has performed several shows as part of their fundraising
efforts to travel to Memphis. Brian Berlanda of
Friars Point says “Thank you LVBN for this opportunity… We are working hard to do the Lehigh
Valley & Pennsylvania proud!!!”
Representing the LVBN in the Solo-Duo category
in Memphis is Donovan-Roberts. Lori and Jeff
have also been busy making arrangements for
Memphis. Their final fundraiser was scheduled for
January 25th at Magnolia’s Vineyard.
The LVBN is delighted to have these great artists
represent us at the IBC. Good luck to everybody.
Friars Point Band
B.B. King Entertainer of the Year
Janiva Magness
Watermelon Slim
Bobby Rush
Lil' Ed
Magic Slim
Billy Sharp drives an 18wheeler. He owns a nightclub
in a tough part of Newark, N.J.
When you hear him sing,
you'd never guess he was 76
years old.
On "SEARCHING" he covers
material by Bobby Bland, Joe
Williams, Joe Turner and B.B.
King; he also adds a couple of
originals, the hard-rocking title
tune, and "Homeless", a
spine-chilling slow blues. He
is backed up by a band of
Lehigh Valley musicians
including a three-piece horn
section and the late great
bassist Al Guerrerro.
To order, send check or
money order for $10 to Lost
World Music, P.O. Box
265, Zionsville PA 18092-0265.
4
www.lvbn.org
Chicago Carl’s Corner:
“Around the Keys”
By Chicago Carl Snyder
The other night, on a sudden hunch, I checked YouTube
to see if there were any videos of Junior Wells with me on
them.
There it was - "Trouble No More," from the Lonesome Pines
special we did for PBS in Kentucky in 1988. A nice, cooking
performance by Junior, who plays some searing harmonica;
and the eight-piece band, including three horns, sounds
nice and tight.
Which was a minor miracle, considering that although it was
the middle of the day, most of us were pretty smashed; one
of the guys had run out to the liquor store at about 8:30 in
the morning. So by the time we were soundchecking
onstage, it was pretty hazy from where I stood. And Junior
had this ten-dency to talk X-rated (the Lenny Bruce of the
blues, I always thought); he liked to end some of his numbers by stopping the band and playing or singing a short
cadenza before using a certain vulgar expression to sign off
and bring in the final chord.
When we were taping for PBS Junior knew he had to be on
his good behavior, so he kept it clean. At first. Then he forgot where he was and used the, ahem, vulgar expression.
Several times, as I recall. Which made us laugh and prompted the producers to write Junior's agent a letter of complaint.
But the bottom line was that they edited what they had to,
and wound up with a good show.
Junior was an extremely charismatic individual who commanded great respect everywhere in the blues world. This
was partly due to his wit--he was extremely funny--and partly due to his ability to empathize with other people, to focus
on them and feel their pain. But it was also due to his reputation on the street; it was well known that he had faced
down the Blackstone Rangers back in the Sixties.
According to the legend, Junior had thrown Jeff Fort,
founder of the gang, out of Theresa's one night, after which
the gang was supposedly looking for him. And when they
caught up to him on the street, he whipped out a shotgun;
following that, they left him alone.
“Chicago” Carl Snyder
trigger twice, with nothing happening. As Junior put it, God
had saved both of them. And I thought, maybe I should tell
him I used to be a writer; someone should do a book with
this man.
I didn't act on that impulse, but I did later when I was playing a series of gigs on the Southside with Louis Myers. He
was the guitarist and leader of The Aces, a defining group
in the history of Chicago blues, but he never became
famous, and here he was playing, sandwiched between the
door andthe radiator, in a little bar owned by his cousin
where he wasn't always getting respect from the customers
or the musicians.
On one occasion he expressed a wish to be interviewed by
a writer, so he could straighten out some things in the historical record. He wanted people to know, for instance, that
Little Walter and Otis Spann both played with him before
they went with Muddy Waters. So I revealed my true identity, and we taped an interview at his apartment, during which
he told me of his god. "It's not the same as your god," he
said; then he told me how he believed that all living things
embodied spirits--exactly the same thing I believed, though
I didn't tell him so.
The interview was published in Magic Blues, a nice little
magazine put out by the late Lois Ulrey. She decided to promote it by giving Louis a "life-time achievement" award, and
the event was scheduled for B.L.U.E.S. on Halsted. Only
trouble was, by the time it took place, Louis had been partially disabled by a stroke, and he had to sit there stiff as a
board while lesser entertainers, who were theoretically there
to salute him, took turns promot-ing themselves. Truly a bittersweet occasion; as they say, that's the blues.
The story, Junior allowed to me in one of our pre-gig rap
sessions, was real. We were sitting in a club in Canada, and
Iwas basically watching and listening while he drank
straight gin (doubles and triples) and told stories--of his troubled youth, of his apprenticeship with Muddy Waters, of his
tours with the Rolling Stones, of his State Department tours
with Buddy Guy. He told me about the time, in his punk
days, when he held a gun to a man's head and pulled the
www.lvbn.org
Band of the Year
Magic Slim & the Teardrops
Nick Moss & the Flip Tops
The Mannish Boys
Watermelon Slim & the Workers
Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials
5
6
www.lvbn.org
Blues Guitar 101
By Craig Thatcher
Hello and welcome to another installment of “Blues Guitar: 101.”
I thought we might explore BB King's biggest hit, “The Thrill Is Gone,” written by
Roy Hawkins, a San Francisco area blues pianist who first released the song in
1951. It became a hit for BB in 1969, on both the pop and R&B charts which was
rather unusual for its time. It also charts in at #183 of Rolling Stone magazine's
“Greatest 500 Hits of All Time.”
Craig Thatcher
Anyway, to the song. It is a minor key blues which BB first recorded in the key of
Bm: (note: there are later versions in several different keys but we'll stick with
BB's first released version). And also, it uses a Major 7th chord voicing (root, 3rd,
5th & 7th tones from the major scale) which is not common to the standard blues
form however, its use here is very effective. Here's the form.
Notice that I've put the chord changes on the 2nd and 4th
beats of each measure. When you listen to the recording
you won't actually hear BB play that (because BB doesn't
play chords) but you can certainly feel the rhythmic pulse
hitting on those beats. When I and many others play this
tune, this is usually how the rhythm guitar is played. Of
course there are other rhythmic variations to choose from
but this is a “101” level article so we'll just stick to what's
shown here for now.
the changes along with the recording and have fun getting
that strong backbeat or “2 & 4” feel going. You want to make
it as natural sounding as you possibly can. As I say to my
students (this applies to just about everything), “internalize
it.”
Have fun and and keep on picking the blues. Adios til next
time. – Craig Thatcher
I've included some easy chord voicings but please feel to
use whatever forms you're comfortable with. If you already
know some ninth chord forms (major, minor and dominant)
try variations of them as substitutions so that you aren't playing the exact same chord form every time you play through
the tune.
Play along with the record and simply strum your chords
beats 2 and 4 with a percussive, short attack. In other
words, don't let the chords ring out. We'll cover soloing over
these changes in the next installment but for now just play
www.lvbn.org
7
Havin’ The Last Word (Alligator)
All good things must come
to an end. Although many
of you might have thought
the end of Saffire occured
years ago with 2001’s Ain’t
Gonna Hush and the 2006
release of their best of CD,
Deluxe Edition, that was
not the case. Ann Rabson,
Gaye Adegbalola and Andra Faye have been pursuing solo
careers and projects over the years, and thought it only fit
ting that they should get together and officially put the old
dog to bed. Havin’ the Last Word is a fitting closure to their
storied carreers. There’s the obligatory ribald gems, Bald
Eagle and Too Much Butt, just to keep things interesting.
There’s Ann Rabson barrelhousing through Travelin’ At the
Speed of Love on piano, and her vocals sound good to boot.
Gaye sounds good on the opener, Goin Down to the River,
and her playing is solid throughout. There are covers here,
including Gina DeLuca’s Nothin’ In Your House and E.G.
Kight’s Somebody’s Gotta Give. All in all, it’s like a comfortable pair of old shoes. If you like Saffire, try this on.
Scott Davis
www.blueshound.net
BILLY SHARP - Searching (Lost World Music)
CLARENCE SPADY - Just Between Us
By age seventy-six most people
have ended or slowed down their
searching, but Billy Sharp is still
traveling that blues highway.
Sharp takes the road at an easy
pace, but he has a lot of backup
power with a band that includes
three horns ( Dan Batarick on
trumpet, and Dave Dionisi and Jed
Koch on tenor sax) and two keyboards (producer “Chicago” Carl Snyder on piano and Dan
McKinney on organ). The late Al Guerrero contributes his
trademark solid bass. The title track and the second, “I’d
Rather Be Homeless,” were written by Sharp. The lyrics
have the usual “my baby left me” theme. The first has a
funky beat, though, and it is hard to resist Sharp’s world
weary vocals on the second. “Flip, Flop and Fly” has an
easy-going blues feel, a nice change from the usual swing
revival treatments of this standard. “If You’re Gonna Walk on
My Love” is pretty sad, so much so that it seems to be
tongue-in-cheek. Even the overdone “The Thrill Is Gone”
gets some drama as Sharp prefaces it with a spoken word
introduction about meeting a long lost love on the street. Phil
Pilorz, who plays lead guitar on all but one track, does wonderful understated slide here. Sharp has a tender feel for the
ballad “Members Only” and hits an upbeat groove on “All
Right Okay You Win.” It’s too bad there are only seven
tracks. Sharp’s amazingly still clear vocals have a downhome inflection, but also a jazz-like smoothness. If you are
searching for something a little different, you’ve found it.
Dave Howell
8
(Severn)
When I first heard Clarence Spady, about a dozen years
ago, I thought "Wow, this guy's got
the skills and the intensity to be one
of the greats." I wasn't alone; my
Chi-town homey,Bill Dahl, dubbed
him "the future of the blues." Since
then,despite releasing a couple
more very compelling albums, the
singer-guitarist has allegedly wrestled with some issues that have
held him back. No more; both the sound and sense of this
marvelous CD testify that from now on, it's full speed ahead
for Mr. Spady. Musically, it's more R&B than straight blues,
though we get one classic twelve-bar in Be Your Enough,
which has a structure and feel reminiscent of Muddy Waters'
"Just to be With You." Spady's brand of soul music -smooth, subtle and sexy -- is somewhere in between Walter
"Wolfman" Washington and the Ohio Players. It's highly
danceable; but when you sit back and focus on the lyrics,
you get an inspiring tale of redemption, told by one who
knows how it feels to be stuckbehind the 8-ball. "I'll Never
Sell You Out" recalls the hijinks of the past: "We used to
drive through the night/Riding in fastcars/Looking for another high/To take us back to Mars." It's followed by the
inevitable payback, in Enough of You: "Never burn your
bridges/Take it from one who burned down the town/No
excuses, though I had a few/Baby, give me one more
chance/She said, 'I've had enough of you.'" By the time we
get to I'll Go, things have turned around: "I'm on a new program, one you might understand/Help me to conquer my
fears/And what it takes to be a man." Powerful stuff, straight
from the heart, and delivered with the touch of a great artist.
--“Chicago” Carl Snyder
www.lvbn.org
JANIVA MAGNESS - What Love Will Do (Alligator)
Janiva Magness' latest album - her
eighth, and her first on Alligator-won't doanything to hurt her rising
reputation, or that of the label. It's a
generous collection that does a lot
of rocking and rolling, then adds a
bit of blues shuffling and afew
moments of reflection. All of it
works. The material is mainly comprised of covers, starting with Little
Milton's funky That's What Love Will Make You Do, and
going on to include such tasty items as Al Green's So Glad
You're Mine and Marvin Gaye's Don't Do It. Not the easiest
songs to take on, but Magness keeps them sounding current
with a voice that's convincing in any range. The Los Angelesbased artist, who survived a troubled youth in the Midwest to
become one of today's most-lauded blues performers, also
benefits from a top-notch band that combines smooth horn
charts with deep electric rhythm, not to mention sizzling guitar provided by several payers including co-producer Dave
Darling. The Ike-and-Tina rocker, Get It Get It, was an instant
favorite here; but it was also very nice, in this era of the disappearing shuffle, to get a couple of minor-key specimens, I
Don't Want You on my Mind and Freedom is Just Beyond the
Door. The show ends with a Jeff Turmes-penned ballad,
Sometimes You Got to Gamble, that puts everything in perpective: "Sometimes bread costs a little/Sometimes it costs
a lot/Sometimes it falls from heaven/Sometimes it can't be
bought/Everybody needs a little good luck/When bad luck is
all you got."
LIL ED & THE BLUES IMPERIALS - Full Tilt
(Alligator)
Lil’ Ed Williams has released the
finest album to cap off a long and
often troubled career. He blends
originals, songs penned with him by
his wife, Pam, and a few covers
seamlessly. From the moment he
rocks into Hold That Train, Lil’ Ed
serves notice that there’s some
serious blues going on here. He
has a crack band with Michael
Garrett on guitar, James “Pookie” Young on bass and Kelly
Littleton in drums, and has Johhny Iguana on piano and
organ, Eddie McKinley on tenor sax and David Basinger on
baritone sax to round out the sound. If you’re not awake by
the third track, Ed’s ringing guitar on Don’t Call Me sounds
the bell. Check My Baby’s Oil is a humorous look at infidelity, backed up by Love Don’t Live Here Anymore. But all is
not lost! He covers the good times too, on Woman Take A
Bow, a sweet sounding tribute. It’s good, too, on My Baby
Moves Me, “like a rolling stone,” with Ed’s guitar sounding
fine indeed. There’s a message delivered on Dying to Live,
and certainly on the James Young cover of Every Man
Needs a Good Woman.
Ed Heads, rejoice!
Scott Davis
www.blueshound.net
--"Chicago" Carl Snyder
SCOTT ELLISON - Ice Storm (Earwig)
Ellison is an OK vocalist and
accomplished guitarist. The trouble
with this CD is its lack of originality.
Ellison is far from alone in this – it
is the biggest problem in the blues
today. This CD has the required
first-track rocker, “Steamin’”; the
slow blues “Big Blue Car” and “I’m
In Trouble”; the Clapton-inspired
ballad “Keys To My Heart”; and songs with uninspired titles
like “King of the Blues” and “Cadillac Woman.” And they all
have plenty of guitar solos, including lots of slide, fast runs,
and note bending, all of which you have heard before. There
are horns and background vocals on some songs, but they
are buried back in the mix. Ellison has put out a perfectly
solid CD with smooth production, using different styles on
each song without copying his influences too much. Ellison
wrote all of the disk’s twelve tracks: songs like “Who Will Be
The Fool” show some writing talent. But except for the
swinging instrumental title track, nothing here is memorable.
Dave Howell
www.lvbn.org
9
DAVIS COEN - Blues Lights for Yours and
Mine (Soundview)
GAYE ADEGBALOLA - Gaye Without Shame -
There's a lot of good stuff on this
set by a young Memphis troubadour who comes basically from the
folk/blues side of the tracks but
delivers songs in a variety of
styles, with guitar sounds to match.
I wasn't so crazy about the openingselection, a Dylanesque soul
ballad with a heavy organ sound
and Coen riffing on electric guitar - too hard to make out the
lyrics - but things got in a better groove with the New
Orleans-styled Mambo Jambo, followed by a lively slide-guitar update of Lemon Jefferson's Jack of Diamonds. New
Shoes Blues is a ragtime tune, with Coen on the acoustic
but with full-band accompaniment (i.e., both piano and
organ); for the sparser Accelerated Woman he goes back to
the electric and moans along with the guitar in classic country-blues style. Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand is a creditable
version of one of Professor Longhair's less famous songs,
with sure-handed piano by Adrian Duke. Lordy Lord is not a
gospel tune but a Lightnin' Hopkins-styled shuffle; however,
Since I Laid My Burden Down is indeed the gospel. Coen
plays both on the acoustic, with bass-and-drums backing.
Down in the Alley is not the Clovers' tune but an r&b/blues
shuffle, Forties style, with the full band; on it Coen more or
less declares his musical credo: "Take me down in the alley/
If you want to satisfy me."
“I’m here now and I’m queer
now/You better get over it” sings
Gaye Adegbalola on the first song
of this CD, “Queer Blues.” She
makes it clear that this is a very
personal CD, with her originals
mixed in with blues standards.
Sometimes her message is a bit
overbearing. There is even a sixand-a-half-minute speech near the
end, although that leads into a moving protest song with the
Fredericksburg Freedom Singers. But more often,
Adegbalola takes a lighter, and occasionally humorous, look
at gay issues, like “Bareback Rider,” a plea for gay men to
use condoms, and the swinging “Tippin’ On the Down Low”
and “Hetero Twinges.” “Step Parent Blues” takes a more
serious view at a common problem, but one that is rarely
expressed in song. Adegbalola writes on the sleeve notes
that “my blues comes in all flavors, all shades,” which she
says includes New Orleans style, jump, Doo-wop, R&B,
Chicago, Piedmont, and Delta. There is also a bit of gospel
on “Déjà Vu Blues.” One of the best examples of her versatility is her work on “It Hurts Me Too.” She gives this oftendone song new life. She handles the vocals well on all of
them. There is even a version of the Platters’ “The Great
Pretender” with spoken rap in the middle of it, and the standard “Let It Be Me,” done as a duet with a singer named
Cleome. Besides Adegbalola’s spirited vocals, the best thing
here is Bob Margolin on electric and acoustic guitar and
bass. Margolin, a long-time bluesman, is the perfect choice
for a CD of many different styles. Roddy Barnes on piano
has a great feel for boogie and rock. Jim Brock on drums,
Adegbalola on occasional guitar, and particularly the three
women who sing background (“the Gaye-Lets”) also
enhance the sound. There are seventeen tracks of music,
which makes for a long CD. It never lags, though, except you
probably won’t want to listen to the speech more than once.
And best of all, it takes a different approach for the message
of the blues.
- Dave Howell
--"Chicago" Carl Snyder
“LIVE From Bluesville” – Fiona Boyes/Mookie
Brill/Rich DelGrosso - XM
There are only three people on this all-acoustic CD: Fiona
Boyes on guitar, Mookie Brill on bass (harmonica on the first
track), and Rich DelGrosso on mandolin. All three take
vocals on various tracks. All three are top-notch musicians,
so the sound is never sparse, and there is more than
enough rhythmic feel to make up for the lack of a drummer.
Each member of the trio also has a fine knack for blues
vocals. The trio, which got together at the studio of the
“Bluesville” channel of XM radio, are now touring Australia.
Mandolin is not often used in blues, but it has a history with
the music, and DelGrosso does not seem out of place at all.
The liner notes call this first CD by the trio “a unique take on
acoustic blues.” I’m not sure. Like most blues fans, I have
heard a lot of acoustic blues and many versions of
“Smokestack Lightning” and Arthur Crudup’s “My Baby Left
Me” over the years. On the other hand, the mandolin certainly adds a different texture to the proceedings. And all three
have a feel for traditional blues as it ought to be played, not
by fitting in as many notes as possible, but letting everything
flow easily and effortlessly. The liner notes report that the
CD was recorded in four hours without “dubs, multiple sessions, or takes.”It sounds like it. Not that it was hastily done,
but that it was recorded by musicians with a real love for and
mastery of the blues.
- Dave Howell
10
(Hot Toddy)
Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year
Gaye Adegbalola
Marcia Ball
Robin Rogers
Bettye LaVette
Janiva Magness
Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year
Michael Burks
Elvin Bishop
Sean Costello
Watermelon Slim
Buddy Guy
SUPER CHIKAN - Sum’ Mo’ Chikan (Vizztone)
James “Super Chikan” Johnson is
not only a fine guitarist, but a great
eccentric of the blues world. The
cover of his latest CD shows him
holding two of his psychedelically
painted, self-customized guitars in
front of a couple of run-down
shacks. And inside, there is a
photo of Johnson and Steven
Seagal! Johnson explains his
moniker on the second track, “Crystal Ball Eyes,” talking
about raising chickens: “I used to talk to my chickens. I used
to eat a lot of chicken. I never ate my own chickens, though.
And I never choked my chickens.” This track comes complete with rooster crows. “Hookin’ Up” combines a John Lee
Hooker tribute with yodeling. This includes Johnson imitating
his mother in a back-and-forth dialogue about yodeling,
something he says “only white people do.” The rest of the
CD, unfortunately, does not reach this level of inspired lunacy. But it still has plenty of gutbucket electric blues. The best
of the remainder of the twelve tracks are those that show off
Johnson’s guitar work. He throws in effects now and again,
not in a Hendrix-like style, but that sound more like, of
course, chicken scratching. Johnson’s strong point is not
songwriting, so there are a few ho-hum spots with songs like
“November Nights” and “Full Moon Blues.” And, yes, you
have heard some of these song structures before. But it’s
like Johnson says on the CD sleeve: “you already know the
story of a poor broke boy from Mississippi.” But nobody tells
it like Super Chikan.
- Dave Howell
Jeff Healy Honored at
CanadianBlues
Award Ceremonies
The late Jeff Healey was the big winner at the
Maple Blues Awards.
The Canadian blues guitarist and his band won
seven out of 17 awards handed out at the Phoenix
Concert Theatre on Monday, including best entertainer, electric artist, guitarist and recording of the
year for his posthumous album Mess of Blues.
His accompanists — drummer Al Webster, keyboardist Dave Murphy and bassist Alec Fraser —
also won their respective instrument categories.
Healey died in March after a battle with cancer that
robbed him of his sight when he was a baby.
Contemporary Blues Album of the Year
Elvin Bishop - The Blues Rolls On
Watermelon Slim & Workers - No Paid Holidays
Janiva Magness - What Love Will Do
Sean Costello - We Can Get Together
Buddy Guy - Skin Deep
11
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