Lyrics Alone Again Greg Payne and the Piedmont Boys
In This Issue
Terry Mullins has our feature interview with Elvin Bishop. Nosotros have 4 music reviews for you including reviews of music past Guy Davis, Sid Whelan, Kevin Selfe and Alex Lopez. Rick Nation has commentary and photos from the 2022 Hot Springs Blues & BBQ Festival.
Nosotros have the latest in Blues gild news. All this and MORE! SCROLL Downwardly!!!
Yard.C. Records MC-0078
13 songs – 62 minutes
www.guydavis.com
Multi-talented entertainer Guy Davis proves once once again why he's in the forefront of the songster blues tradition with this seemingly effortless, but technically circuitous album, the 13th disc in an arsenal that consistently attracts awards consideration.
An achieved player, storyteller and educator whose mission as a blues ambassador regularly takes him to the four corners of the world, Davis plows new ground with Kokomo Kidd, producing and mixing himself in the studio for the start time as he delivers eight extremely introspective originals every bit well as five cover tunes that he's reworked and fabricated his own.
This is Davis' second release on the M.C. label, a follow-upwards to Juba Trip the light fantastic toe, which was nominated for Acoustic Album Of The Year in the 2022 Blues Music Awards. A multi-instrumentalist, he accompanies himself on acoustic vi- and 12-string guitar, banjo and harmonica, and likewise contributes work on keyboards and percussion.
Assisting in the production are Professor Louie on keys, John Platania and Chris James on guitar and mandolin, Mark Murphy on bass and cello, and Gary Shush on drums. Charlie Musselwhite and Fabrizio Poggi, Davis' partner on Juba Trip the light fantastic, each brand a guest appearance for one cutting each on harmonica, as does Preservation Jazz Hall Band member Ben Jaffe on tuba. Backing vocals are provided by David Helper, Miss Marie Spinosa, Audrey Martells and Zhana Roiya.
Davis lays downward a steady banjo rhythm line accented by Jaffe'southward horn to weave the story of "Kokomo Kidd," a Low-era bootlegger who winds up an advisor to Republican insiders in Washington, hacking emails, keeping Supreme Courtroom justices high on drugs and keeping secrets along the fashion. It's based on the fable of a real-life ne'er-do-well who began life as a coal man delivering fuel to the White Firm.
Side by side up is the truly bittersweet "Wish I Hadn't Stayed Away So Long," a ballad dealing with the real-life loss of his mother, extra and civil rights activist Ruby Dee, and folk vocalist Pete Seeger, who served as his role model. It'southward a tune that's certain to bring tears to the eyes of anyone who's suffered the loss of a loved i and been unable to say adieu.
"Taking Merely A Little Chip Of Time" follows. Information technology's an upbeat, but somewhat subdued song of praise for life away from the bright lights to enjoy life in the country. Some other Davis original, "She Just Wants To Exist Loved" is centered on a phone call from a adult female who'due south suffered corruption and breaks downwardly in tears because she feels unloved. Like "Wish I Hadn't Stayed Abroad Then Long," it will tug at your heartstrings.
Davis pays tribute to Piedmont blues harmonica players Sonny Terry in "Like Sonny Did," contributing a harp line straight out of Sonny's songbook and accented with his trademark vocal whoops. Information technology'due south a tip of the hat to the master after having starred in a Broadway revival of "Finian'southward Rainbow," which featured Terry's harp piece of work in its 1947 debut. A reinterpretation of Bob Dylan'southward "Lay Lady Lay" follows, delivered at slow tempo, upping the romantic values of the tune to the heavens. And so Davis dissects Willie Dixon'south "Little Ruddy Rooster" with the aid of Musselwhite. His cover slows the pace dramatically, wringing more feel and more of the Delta out of the song than most previous recordings.
"Possibly I'll Get" is a vocal most a romance that doesn't work. Information technology's based on a Mississippi John Hurt song and delivered in the style of Piedmont guitar great Elizabeth Cotton. Another love vocal, the upbeat "Blackberry Kisses," follows and includes a waltz time interruption before "Take You lot Every Loved Two Women (Simply Couldn't Make Up Your Mind?)" A new tune, it has a '20s feel, aided by Poggi's harp piece of work.
Davis revises that decade next, all the same, with a version of Tommy Johnson's "Cool Drinkable Of Water." A retake of Amos "Bumble Bee Slim" Easton's 1930s classic "Bumble Bee Blues" follows before a stunning reworking of Donovan's "Wear Your Dearest Like Heaven" concludes the ready.
Available through all of the major online outlets, Kokomo Kidd delivers simple themes directly atop richly layered musical accessory. Strongly recommended.
Reviewer Marty Gunther has lived a blessed life. His kickoff experience with live music came at the anxiety of the first generation of blues legends at the Newport Folk Festivals in the 1960s. A former member of the Chicago blues community, he's a professional journalist and blues harmonica player who co-founded the Nucklebusters, one of the hardest working bands in South Florida.
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Particularly when considering that in a half-dozen-month stretch from early on May until late September of this year, Bishop probably needed a wheelbarrow to tote all the awards and accolades he accumulated.
At the 36th annual Dejection Music Awards (BMAs) in Memphis, Bishop took height honors in the Ring of the Year, Album of the Year (for Tin can't Even Exercise Wrong Right) and Song of the Year (for the title rail) categories.
Then, at the 2015 Blues Blast Awards in Champaign, Illinois, Bishop garnered Contemporary Blues Album of the Year, likewise equally Male Blues Artist of the Year.
Not a bad play a trick on for an old domestic dog who is at present into his sixth decade of playing the blues.
"I don't know what's in the air, simply this has been my lucky year. I'thou amazed," Bishop recently said. "But I'm kind of a realist. I got nominated for a lot of awards early in my career and I learned there'south two things that you don't desire. Yous don't desire to be nominated in the category with an old person – which I have become – and you lot definitely don't want to be nominated in the category with a guy who but died, considering you can forget it so. I was always happy to see the old guys win and I'd handclapping for them, simply in the dorsum of my mind, in that location was always this little voice that said, 'I didn't encounter as well much wrong with my tape.' But that must be what these guys that are in the category with me now are thinking. I think the voters expect at me and say, 'Look at that old son of a bitch … he might not be here next year, and so we better give him something this twelvemonth.'"
Bishop's big year actually started in hostage back in April, when The Butterfield Blues Band was finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
"Yeah, that was a Hell of a thing, wasn't it?" Bishop asked.
This long overdue invite couldn't accept happened to a more deserving group (Paul Butterfield – harp/vocals; Mike Bloomfield – guitar; Elvin Bishop – guitar; Mark Naftalin – keys; Jerome Arnold – bass; Baton Davenport – drums; Sam Lay – drums), one that has long been a watershed unit of measurement. Non only did The Butterfield Dejection Band perfect the template for mixing dejection with the modern sounds of rock – basically creating a template for blues/rock that is still existence followed today – it too inspired nearly a billion harp and guitar players in the process and also managed to make the 'sometime-fashioned blues' audio downright cutting edge at the time.
"It was a bang-up apprenticeship for me; I was lucky to be in that band. The whole ring was just in the correct place at the right time," said Bishop. "At that place was luck involved and at that place was talent involved and it was the right affair to happen at that fourth dimension."
Perhaps the well-nigh important thing The Butterfield Blues Ring accomplished – intentional or not – was the way that it set a shining example for the Civil Rights movement in a very turbulent time for this nation. Considering in the early and mid-60s, in that location certain were not may inter-racial bands to look up to. And not only that, but a vast bulk of music lovers here in the United states of america wouldn't even give dejection music the time of solar day.
There easily could have been some highly-explosive fireworks fix off when Arnold and Lay left the Wolf'southward band to become the rhythm section for The Butterfield Blues Band. But even though the big man could have resorted to violence – or at the very least held a grudge – against the Butterfield camp for lifting his bassist and drummer, Bishop said there was never an issue with Howlin' Wolf.
"No, you have to understand it wasn't like that (stealing Arnold and Lay away from Howlin' Wolf). The Chicago blues scene in those days was very fluid. It was a beautiful thing and set up in such a way that the musicians didn't get rich, but it sure encouraged a lot of improvement and made the music thrive," he said. "In Chicago in those days, you started (playing) at nine p.m. and went to four in the morning; five on Saturdays. I don't care if y'all were Muddied Waters, or who yous were, at almost two in the forenoon, y'all would exist glad to see whatsoever kind of help you could go, yous know what I mean? That meant in that location was a lot of sitting in going on and it was like a big employment agency. Yous could become from social club to order sitting in and guys would hear if you lot could do a decent chore on their music. If you could, they'd put it in the back of their mind and the next time they needed someone, they might call yous. That encouraged all the musicians who wanted to improve themselves and get better gigs to acquire everyone'south tunes, so they'd be ready when their time came. This led to a lot of musical progress. Not simply that, just the pay was so pitiful. The boilerplate sideman would brand almost $10 or $xi a nighttime. And if somebody offered you $12, y'all were gone."
He originally striking the big city to study at the Academy of Chicago in 1960 as a National Merit Scholar. Nevertheless, it didn't accept long earlier those studies included jamming and hanging out with legendary characters like Picayune Smokey Smothers and the ane-and-only Hound Canis familiaris Taylor.
"I recall we used to play these actually low-downward places on the w side of Chicago similar on west Madison and Roosevelt Road. We'd be right down on the floor, they wouldn't even take a bandstand. He'd (Taylor) be sitting in a chair and he had those ole long legs and he'd be playing 'See Me in the Lesser" and his knees would be sticking way up over the chair," laughed Bishop. "His pants would be hiked up manner over the top of his socks and he'd be stompin' his pes and he had that ole rapturous smile and he'd just become for it. We'd rehearse at his house and he was some kind of relation to Sleepy John Estes. I remember Sleepy John coming by there one time. He used to send me to the liquor store and he'd give me some money, merely it would never be enough to cover what he wanted, so I'd have to kick in some more than. He'd get his half-pint and he'd be happy and we'd rehearse. Then we'd get to the gig and not play any of the tunes we apposite. He was a Hell of a guy."
With the resume that Bishop has crafted since the early on 1960s -compiling an amazing back catalog of songs that his fans know by heart – it would be actually easy for him to just tour in the spring and summer and play his hits instead of hitting the studio to create new music. But apparently, Bishop is not wired that mode and he but merely cannot turn off the switch that controls his songwriting.
Bishop has long been known for his propensity to garden and to abound a good bit of the nutrient that he and his family consumes. In a manner, his musical career could also be viewed in terms of gardening, as it has largely been self-sufficient and self-contained. It really hasn't seemed to affair a whole lot nigh which tape labels he's been on throughout the years, because Bishop has managed to nurture his music his manner, playing the music the way he wants, instead of existence influenced to play it as wanted by a lath of executives.
"Yous know, I just kind of hook upwardly with whoever will put upward with me," he laughed. "But all of my songs are written with my limitations in heed. I don't have much other selection than to be truthful to myself. I only write stuff that minimizes my weak points and maximizes my strong points, you know?"
Things are vastly different in the way that music is not only made in 2015, but in the way that music is consumed, as well. When Bishop was finding his fashion onto the national scene, if you were not tethered to a major record label, at that place was a very likely chance that your music would not be heard exterior of your own immediate surround. Technology has radically contradistinct the landscape then much these days that a certain level of technical noesis and ability may exist more valuable than any kind of record company allegiance is.
"A young Elvin Bishop in these days would know a Hell of a lot more almost computers and virtually the tech earth than I do. He would accept found a way (to make it). It was never whatsoever kind of technical cognition that I had, it was the called-for desire (to play music) that got me over," he said. "I mean, billions of people do have that desire, merely only a few of them are going to make it. I really feel for the immature artists coming upwards today, because it's hard to become your pes in the door."
There are plenty of other mine fields that the up-and-comers must find their style around in the 21st century, things that Bishop didn't have to plot his way around.
"Nosotros had radio that multiplied things by ten grand and they don't have that anymore; it'south all fragmented. And there ain't the clubs to play in anymore and there's no fuckin' record stores … I just don't see how it happens these days," he said. "When young guys go out on tour now, to fill upwardly those Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, they've got to accept low, depression dough. You've just got to be young and have gettin' high and chasin' chicks be plenty for you these days. You certain ain't gonna' brand any coin until you get skillful and going."
"I don't know why that is. I do know that when I came upwardly, I was i of those guys – and evidently at that place were a whole lot of other guys – that loved a diversity of American roots music. If y'all mind to Ray Charles or Jerry Lee Lewis, you hear a mixture in their music. In that location's gospel, there'south state, there's blues and information technology's all mixed up and that's a cute thing to me," he said. "I know one thing for sure – it's (southern rock) the only commercial category that anyone always felt comfortable stuffing my donkey into. I was lucky it came forth, but gosh, any musical trend, if you want any kind of prediction or any kind of truthful assessment of, you'll take to enquire somebody else, because it's always a full surprise to me."
It may be hard to fathom today, what with music pouring out of telephones, computers and every idiot box attack the planet, just at ane fourth dimension, you actually had to seek music out, instead of music finding yous whether you wanted information technology to or not. That makes finding and falling in dearest with the blues much easier now than it was back in 1963.
"At present, people have so many more options. The minute they pop out, they're exposed to music of every genre. There's all this stuff on the estimator and diverse radio stations and TV and all that. I'll tell you lot something, when I first started out, I lived way out in the land and we didn't accept any electricity – I'yard takin' bout in the '40s. Not only was there no TVs and no computers, we had a radio that had a battery that weighed about ten pounds and It worked when the weather was right," Bishop said. "I came upwards listening to the birds and animals, more so than whatever kind of recorded music. Now, it's so radically different; kids are bombarded with music from the time they're about one year old. When I came up, to hear any blues at all, you had to actively seek it out. Your main exposure to music those days was through the radio … at to the lowest degree until you got one-time enough to leave to clubs and dances."
Back in those days – in Oklahoma – that meant listening to plenty of country music.
"You actually did heed to what everybody else in your race listened to, and for me, that was country music. That music is just in the pores in that location (in Oklahoma), you lot don't have to practice that," he said. "But you know, that must have been the same example with blackness people in the south with blues … they listened to their stations. Everything was segregated back in those days, except for one thing – the radio. That was the one thing they couldn't segregate. That's how a few white people found out near the blues."
Bishop is about as respected as an artist can exist and glancing back on everything he's done since he first hit the mean streets of Chicago, playing the beloved dejection that oozes from the cadre of his very beingness, it seems like there'south non a heck of a lot of territory for the man to conquer. Could that mean that retirement is eminent for the 72-year-quondam and Ruby Dog (his e'er-present 1959 reddish-red Gibson ES-345)?
"I'll probably exist like B.B. (King) and they'll merely accept to drag my ass out of there. My wife thinks about me retiring, merely I tell her – shit, it ain't football and you don't have to retire when you lot're 30," Bishop laughed.
Photos by Marilyn Stringer © 2015
Dejection Blast Mag Senior Writer Terry Mullins is a announcer, author and former tape store owner whose personal taste in music is the sonic equivalent of Attending Deficit Disorder. Works by the Bee Gees, Captain Beefheart, Black Sabbath, Earth, Current of air & Fire and Willie Nelson share equal space with Muddy Waters, The Staples Singers and R.L. Burnside in his compact disc collection. He's also been known to spend fourth dimension hanging out on the street corners of Clarksdale, Miss., eating copious amounts of barbecued delicacies while listening to the wonderful sounds of the blues.
Take the 19th almanac Hot Springs Blues Festival, add a KCBS sanctioned BBQ contest, place into one of the about historic thoroughbred tracks in the state, add together a sprinkle of showers and…viola! It's the offset annual Hot Springs Blues and BBQ Festival!
Hosted by the Spa City Blues Social club, the festival has featured winners, by and current, of the IBC for several years, too as local talent and nationally renowned headliners. Notables such as Larry Garner, J.P. Soars, Zac Harmon, Coco Montoya, and Samantha Fish have been featured, setting the bar for quality entertainment.
This year the SCBS teamed with Oaklawn Racing and Gaming, sponsor of the annual "Smokelawn" BBQ Competition, and moved the combined event to the infield of venerable Oaklawn Park. The BBQ competition was held Sunday, drawing 29 teams from Arkansas and surrounding states. In addition to thousands of dollars in prize money, the winners in each category took home unique trophies whose columns were filled with track dirt from Oaklawn Derby Twenty-four hours. This year's Derby was won by eventual Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. When the tasing was done, Sarah Jeffers(middle) presented Fire Dancer BBQ with the Grand Champion Trophy and the $3000 prize money.
Music was a two day effect. Two stages offered a continuous entertainment, with bands actualization on the master stage and solo/duo acts alternately performing on the Gazebo. Local acts included Trey Johnson and Dave Almond's mix of loma state blues at the Gazebo.
Other Gazebo artist's included past IBC winners Ray Bonneville, Lucious Spiller, Eric Hughes, and Randy McQuay, 2022 Solo winner.
The principal stage featured bands like local favorites Salt and Pepper, John Calvin Brewer Band, and Heavy Suga and the Sweetones in the afternoon.
Sat night's get-go headliner was Grammy nominee Shemekia Copeland. The eight time Blues Music Award winner and 2010 Blues Artist of the Year (Living Dejection) did not disappoint. With songs ranging from her new "Outskirts of Love" to gospel inspired, soulful R & B she entertained with all her eye. And the crowd responded past staying on their feet.
Saturday'south Closer was Texas' Los Lonely Boys. With their "Texican Rock n' Roll" they turned the infield into a dance floor. The Garza brothers, Henry, Jojo, and Ringo, kept the place rocking with Texas Blues offerings reminiscent of Stevie Ray Vaughn, to soft rock sing alongs like their Billboard #1 hit "Heaven".
Oaklawn Park's Silks Bar hosted an after political party jam featuring BBMA nominee Ghost Town Blues Band. Equally one would expect from this high free energy, entertaining group of musicians, the music was loud, raucous, and lively. A cracking end to a most perfect twenty-four hours.
Sunday, the weather turned iffy but the music kept the crowd present. Sunglasses and straw hats gave way to umbrellas and make-shift trash purse rain coats. The show continued with more IBC winners like Nashville's Stacy Mitchhart Band.
Then Portland, OR'due south Ben Rice Ring. Rice, the 2022 winner of the IBC's St. Blues Guitarist award is one of just ii artists to make it to the IBC finals in both the Band and Solo/Duo categories.
As the rain moved out and darkness approached, the temperature on the infield barbarous just the heat onstage continued. Grammy winner Keb Mo took center stage with his piece of cake flowing ballads of love, life, and relationships. A true crowd favorite, he featured many selections from his latest CD, "BluesAmericana" but also performed older hits "on demand" when requested by the fans.
Overall, because the change in venue, change in dates, addition of the BBQ contest, and uncertain weather condition, the festival appeared to exist a success. It was certainly a deal. For $20 patrons got two days of great music replete with IBC winners, Grammy and Blues Music Laurels winners, and very talented local artists, along with award winning BBQ. Well worth the price of access!
Photos and commentary by Rick Nation © 2015
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Presidio Records – 2015
www.thesidwhelanband.com
13 tracks; 53 minutes
Sid Whelan gave upwards playing for a decade and just picked up a guitar when asked to fill for his niece's band. Reinvigorated and full of new songs, Sid prepare the eponymous band Whelan and released "Flood Waters Rising" in 2013. Always intended to exist the first disc of an Americana trilogy, things were put on hold as Sid's side by side batch of songs veered more towards the sort of blues and soul which would adapt the improver of a horn section. Sid is based in NYC and horns were added in that location to three tracks by Ron Horton just Sid also made good employ of an former contact by recruiting the great trombonist Fred Wesley to arrange horns from his abode base of Northward Carolina on nigh of the other tracks. As a consequence there are a lot of musicians on the disc: Whelan is Sid on guitar and lead vocals, Richard Huntley on drums, Mark Manczuk on all fashion of percussion instruments, Marco Panaska on bass and Jerry Z on keys; Fred Wesley, Alan Ferber and Victor Wesley play trombone, Eleazer Shafer and Ron Horton play trumpet, Phillip Whack, Michael Blake and Michael Lee Breaux play sax and Randy Weinstein harmonica; backing vocals are by Sid, Capathia Jenkins, Robbi Hall Kumalo and Darryl Tookes who arranged the vocal sessions.
Only two tracks on the disc are without horns: "Every Fourth dimension I See Her" pays tribute to Sid'southward wife in a sparse arrangement with some nice finger-picking and "Too Cold Ohio Blues" is Sid'southward reminiscences virtually his fourth dimension in Ohio: "it rained for forty days, snowed for xl nights, so dark in the daytime people never turned off their lights". This one is an acoustic shuffle with splendid harp that recalls Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. Elsewhere the horns under Fred Wesley's guidance provide some cracking accompaniment and offer a variety of styles for Sid to explore.
In the liner notes Sid states that during these sessions he was listening to some classic blues albums (BB King "Live At The Regal", Albert King "Built-in Under A Bad Sign" and T-Os Walker) and information technology shows! Opener "Nothin' Just The Blues" has a definite Albert Male monarch vibe with a sensational horn system by Fred as Sid sings almost the perils of depression in his solid baritone voice. The BB influence shows through clearly on a lovely boring blues "Long Lonely Dark" with Sid playing some stinging leads over a subtle horn arrangement that suits the vocal perfectly. "Rainmaker" is a jazzy slice with a bully sax solo and some cynical lyrics about decadent business practices while "Steak For Two" swings from start to finish (undoubtedly the T-Bone influence), Sid sharing vocals with Robbie Hall Kumalo.
"Downwards The Line" has something of a rockabilly feel with twangy guitar and the horns sticking to reinforcing the main tune. Two songs are linked past reference to the album's title character: Ike beginning appears in Sid's tale of being conned in New Orleans, "That Lil' Face up". In that song Ike is a disagreeable biker with a prison record but the reasons for that are further explored in the title track which points the finger at the abuse of power by the police in post-Katrina NO, all washed to a basic Bo Diddley beat punctuated by stabbing horns.
"Ice H2o" is Sid's vocal virtually the crooked bankers who created the financial crisis: he imagines that they will all get to hell just will so crave water ice water! Musically the vocal takes an old-school soul approach with a well-judged sax solo.
The iii songs with NYC horn arrangements are "Blues Said: "One-time Man…" in which the blues is "continuing in the doorway with a smile on his confront", a slow, jazzy blues with superb trumpet work throughout; "Downwards To The River" is a consummate contrast, a funky tune with soulful backing vocals and a pounding shell over which Sid recounts a chat between a drinker and a womaniser; album closer "Lighten Up" is a reprise from Sid'south before Americana album and here is played in a New Orleans style with fine pianoforte, subtle background vocals and a rasping sax solo, an ode to enjoying the moment and not getting too serious.
This is a thoroughly engaging album with lots of styles covered. All the textile is original, excellently recorded and the horn charts are superb throughout. This is a disc that deserves to be heard and is recommended.
Reviewer John Mitchell is a blues enthusiast based in the Great britain who enjoys a wide variety of blues and roots music, especially annihilation in the 'soul/dejection' category. Favorites include contemporary artists such as Curtis Salgado, Tad Robinson, Albert Castiglia and Doug Deming and classic artists including Bobby Bland, Howling Wolf and the three 'Kings'. He gets over to the States every bit often as he can to see live blues.
Vizztone VT-KEV-01
thirteen songs – 59 minutes
www.kevinselfe.com
Multi-talented Kevin Selfe and his band, the Tornadoes, have been wowing audiences from their adopted home base of Portland, Ore., for the amend part of a decade, but should make waves nationally with Buy My Soul Back, a thoroughly modern album that delves into themes that regularly run through the blues.
Originally from Roanoke, Va., Selfe discovered the blues late in life, when he was a educatee in meteorology at North Carolina State Academy. His roommate, a bass role player, introduced him to the works of Muddied Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Elmore James, and, by the time he graduated with honors, changed his path in life from TV weatherman to dyed-in-the-wool bluesman.
He was barely out of college when he joined the Fat Daddy Band, a regionally popular grouping based out of Roanoke, which was an International Blues Challenge finalist in 2002, during his six-yr membership. A two-year partnership with 2008 IBC finalist Petty Rodger Crowder followed before Selfe went on his own and formed the Tornadoes. In addition to touring on their own, the band worked backside a pair of Chicago greats, Eddy "The Main" Clearwater and Cary Bell, accompanying the latter on the final gig before his untimely decease.
As gifted as a guitarist and harmonica player as well as a songwriter, Selfe relocated to the West Coast in 2007 and has released three previous CDs nether his own name, Self-Contained (2006), the nationally charting Playing The Game (2009) and Long Walk Home (2013), which peaked at No. xiii on the Billboard Dejection Nautical chart.
He's assembled an all-star lineup for this disc, his first on the Vizztone imprint. Joining him hither are regular bass player Allen Markel (formerly of the Insomniacs), perennial Blues Music Award nominated drummer Jimi Bott, Mannish Boys' harp actor and bassist Mitch Kashmar and Willie J. Campbell, Ana Popovic and Tommy Castro organist James Step and Fabled Thunderbirds pianist Cistron Taylor as well as guest vocals from Sugaray Rayford and bankroll vocals from 2022 BMA winner Lisa Isle of mann. Also contributing are Kevin's regular timekeeper, Don Shultz and a horn section consisting of Joe McCarthy (trumpet), Chris Mercer (tenor sax), Brad Ulrich and Peter Moss (baritone sax) and pianist Steve Kerin.
Virtually all bluesmen take a vow of poverty when they pick up an musical instrument, and the theme runs strongly through this collection of 12 originals and i cover. A New Orleans-way horn line kicks off "Picking Empty Pockets" to start the disc. It's an autobiographical tune near smile on the outside while living in the back of a beat-up van. Moss' stellar baritone work sets the tone with Selfe delivering a searing six-cord solo to conclude. Kashmar'due south harp introduces "Fixed It Til It's Broke" and remains stellar throughout equally Kevin puts his picking skills on display. The song'southward a stern warning to someone who wants to affect a modify in the vocalist'southward life when no alterations are needed.
The title cutting, "Purchase My Soul Back," is a straight-ahead modernistic dejection about having regrets years after selling 1'south soul to the devil for musical success. It swings from the jump with some other rock-solid performance from the horn section and tasty extended half dozen-string solo. "Excavation My Own Grave" sings about doing backbreaking piece of work in the field to put food on the tabular array. It's delivered with a experience and simple organization that would fit in whatever Hill Country juke.
The pace changes dramatically for the contemporary "All Partied Out," a slow blues regret nearly waiting up in the morning alone, pain and wondering how the singer had wound up in this condition, simply knowing it was from pushing himself in the wrong management for so long. "Keep Pushing Or Die Trying" provides a much brighter outlook, delivered with a slight country feel and driving piano line from Taylor, as does "Bluesman Without The Blues," featuring Rayford on vocals. Information technology's a funky number about dressing, eating and living as well well to be making the music Selfe loves.
An interesting, countrified comprehend of Bruce Springsteen's "I'one thousand On Fire" based on Johnny Cash'due south "Ring Of Fire" follows before v more originals bring the disc to a close. "Don't Tear Me Down" is subdued jump blues plea to communicate ameliorate with his adult female while "Double Dipping" is a New Orleans-flavored funk nearly a loose adult female. "Viriginia Subcontract" sings praise for the elementary life Selfe left behind while the instrumental "Pig Pickin'" comes across with a solid Chicago season. The poverty theme returns total circle to conclude the set with "Staring At The Bottom," another solid blues with imagery of being so far downwardly, the vocalist'southward going to take to dig to the other side of the world to get out of the hole he's in.
Modern dejection for modernistic times. Bachelor through Amazon and iTunes, this one'due south definitely worth a heed…or two…or three. A powerful statement from a musician who's clearly on the rise.
Reviewer Marty Gunther has lived a blessed life. His starting time feel with live music came at the feet of the first generation of dejection legends at the Newport Folk Festivals in the 1960s. A former member of the Chicago blues community, he'due south a professional journalist and blues harmonica histrion who co-founded the Nucklebusters, one of the hardest working bands in South Florida.
Self Release
www.alexlopezmusic.com
10 tracks / 30:37
Alex Lopez figured out early on on what his priorities were, and he stuck to his plan. Built-in in Cleveland, he took to music early and was inspired by bands from the original British invasion. Afterward moving to Florida, he continued to record and play out, but somewhen Alex made the conclusion to put family first and took time off from the gigging world. During his time away he got back in affect with the blues, courtesy of guitar greats that included Buddy Guy and Albert Collins, and he wrote and recorded a lot of original material. Well, now his family is raised, and he has jumped dorsum into the deep stop of the puddle with his new album, Is It a Lie.
This disc is almost an EP, coming in at effectually 30 minutes, but Alex managed to fit 10 of his original songs on it. If you do the math, you can figure out pretty quick that there is no room for fluff; there are no endless guitar solos or choruses repeated over and over once again. It must have been hard for him to resist, as Lopez is a capable behind the microphone or on the guitar. He provided all of the guitar and vocal work on this release (and was the producer, too), with John Baccoli on bass and Craig Robison backside the drum kit. Everything was put on wax over at Atomic Sound Recording in Tampa, Florida.
Alex's voice is not what we usually hear in blues music, with his tenor range and a curious blend of smooth 50s, warbly 70s, and howling 80s blues and rock sounds. This is a good match for his guitar-driven songs, and the overall package provides a unique vibe.
Most of the album is fabricated up of blues-rock songs, though each sounds a bit different than the others. The opener, "Tin can't Hide Your Love," has a driving shell that is reminiscent of Golden Earring's "Radar Love." This is followed upward by "Morning time Dejection" which has a smoothen feel and a few neat transitions when the rhythm guitar alternates between choppy and smooth phrases. The all-time of these is probably "Company Man" which is has equal parts of British blues-rock and funk.
There are a couple of attainable tunes that have plenty pop in them that they could exist radio friendly, though each of them clock in at just a touch over 2 minutes. "Smile at Me" is 1 of these, with a 50s love song feel and a touch of backing vocals. And "I Need to Know" is an upbeat song that is like shooting fish in a barrel to get stuck in your head.
One of the standout songs on the album is the title track, which is labeled as a reprise fifty-fifty though it but appears once. "Is it a Prevarication" has a funky bass and drum foundation with solid rhythm guitar and killer leads, including an impressive solo. It would have been nice to get a few more than minutes of this song!
Lopez interspersed a couple of audio-visual songs that they serve to highlight his guitar skills. The offset is "Cheatin' Blues," a fast-tempo tune with a fairly conventional blues construction that includes plenty of resonator guitar piece of work. The other is the closer, "The Dark is Closing In," which is a slow and sober ballad that includes a short only tasty guitar intermission. This was a good pick to finish the album on, sort of like a railroad train pulling into the station at the terminate of a journey. Information technology was a short journeying, but Alex went to a lot of places on it!
Alex Lopez's Is information technology a Lie provides fresh songwriting and musicianship in the dejection-rock format. Have a listen and see if it is what you are looking for, and if you are effectually northern Florida head over to Alex Lopez's website to see where he is playing next with his band, the Alex Lopez Xpress!
Reviewer Male monarch Bartholomew is a Los Angeles-based writer and musician; his web log can be institute at rexbass.blogspot.com.
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Crossroads Dejection Society – Byron, IL
Crossroads Blues Society continues to work hard to go on the dejection alive.
Our 2d Saturday monthly dejection at the Hope and Anchor English Pub in Loves Park, IL go on. The Jimmy'southward are in on Nov 14th and our annual Christmas Party and show will feature Jimmy Nick and Don't Tell Mama at the Pub. $5 cover later on 7 PM. There will also exist a special New Years Eve Testify featuring Dave Fields then 2022 starts off with John Primer on January 9th and Tad Robinson on February 13th.
Starting time and third Fridays at the Lyran Society Club on 4th Ave in Rockford: eleven/6 Dave Weld and the Imperial Flames (CD Release Party), 11/20 and 12/4 with the New Savages and 12/18 The Dejection Hawks. All shows are 7 to ten PM and there is a fish fry or steak dinner available. No cover, open to the public.
The AHL'southward Rockford Ice Hogs will one time again characteristic blues bands from 5:fifteen to half-dozen:45 PM prior to every Friday home game. x/23 is the New Savages, ten/30 is Recently Paroled, 11/27 is Dan Phelps and 12/11 is Macyn Taylor. There are 7 more Friday games in 2016.
Kickoff Sunday Blues at All Saints are from four to 6 PM. The Dejection Hawks are 11/one and Macyn Taylor on 12/half-dozen. Shows are free, donations become to People Helping People, the local nutrient pantry.
We are nigh ready to announce our 2022 festival lineup for August 27, 2016. Stay tuned for more upcoming events! www.crossroadsbluessociety.com
The Illinois Central Blues Club – Springfield, IL
The Illinois Central Blues Club has announced the line-upward of talent for the Bluish Mon live performances and jam sessions held every Monday dark at The Alamo, 115 North Fifth, Springfield, IL from eight:00pm to midnight. November. 2 – Lazer Loyd, November. 9 – Johnny Rawls, Nov. 16 – Noah's Back Alley Blues Band, Nov. 23 – John Lisi and Delta Funk, Nov. 30 – Studebaker John, Dec. 7 – Mary Jo Curry & Tombstone Bullet, December. 14 – Blood brother Jefferson, Dec. 21 – Hurricane Ruth, Dec. 28 – James Armstrong
Boosted ICBC shows: Nov. v – James Armstrong Presents @ The Alamo, 6 pm due west/ guest host Sam Crain, Nov. 19 – James Armstrong Presents @ The Alamo, 6 pm, westward/ guest host Sally Weisenburg, December. 3 – James Armstrong Presents @ The Alamo, 6 pm due west/ invitee host, Dec. 17 – James Armstrong Presents @ The Alamo, 6 pm west/ guest host
Questions regarding this press release can be directed to Michael Rapier, President of ICBC, at mikerapier@sbcglobal.net at 217-899-9422, or contact Greg Langdon, Live Events Chair, at langdon38@att.net or past visiting www.icbluesclub.org
DC Blues Guild – Washington, D.C.
DC Blues Club presents the 8th Annual College Park Blues Festival Sabbatum, November 14, 2022 from 6:00 pm– 11:30 pm. This Gratuitous fundraiser (Ritchie Coliseum, Higher Park MD 20742) sends the winner of the DC Dejection Society's Almanac Battle of the Bands, DC Mudd, to the 2022 International Blues Challenge. No tickets required for heady concert of different blues genres. Vocalizer, songwriter and guitarist Patty Reese has been a fan and critic favorite of the Mid-Atlantic Region for many years. The Patty Reese Band is historic for its power to make full the dance floor with blues rock or to bring tears to your eyes with a soulful ballad. Patty's band will movement your anxiety and your touch center with its infectious rhythms and grooves. Also actualization: Jesi Terrell and The Love Mechanic Band, featuring the exuberant, powerhouse vocals of their atomic number 82 vocalizer and Chicago blues veteran Jesi; The Ron Hicks Project – one of the all-time local blues band playing music spiced in the south, cooked in Chicago and served in the DMV; and DC Mudd.
Be a role of the excitement and spirit at the premier DC Dejection event! http://dcblues.org
Southeast Iowa Blues Society – Fairfield, IA
The Southeast Iowa Blues Society is proud to nowadays "A Night of All Iowa Dejection Challenge Winners" at the Best Western Fairfield Inn, Fairfield IA. Nov 7th, 2015.
Featuring 1st identify solo/duo act "Tina & Brandon" at 7pm and followed by 2nd identify Band act "Zach Harris Band" at 8:30pm…Doors open at 6:30pm. Tickets are $10 in Advance & SIBS members and $12 Twenty-four hours of Bear witness.
Food and Beverage available…don't miss Tina & Brandon before they become to Memphis to compete in the International Bluish Challenge and the Zach Harris Ring, a young, passionate up and coming Blues ring…all from Iowa!! For more Info. call 641-919-7477 or go to www.southeastiowabluessociety.org
Central Iowa Dejection Guild – Des Moines, IA
Central Iowa Dejection Social club and Lefty's Live Music are proud to present Selwyn Birchwood, Alligator recording artist, from Tampa, FL., actualization at Lefty'due south on Sunday, November 1 at seven:00 PM, all ages until 9:00 PM, $10 full general admission.
This rising, young blues guitarist, lap steel playing vocalist and songwriter has won the 2013 International Dejection Challenge, 2022 All-time new blues anthology and the Albert King Guitarist of the Year awards. Selwyn will feature some hits from his latest release, "Don't phone call No Ambulance". You lot can't miss this special show!
Check out Selwyn's bio, band info, photos and tunes at www.selwynbirchwood.com For more information go to www.cibs.org
Minnesota Dejection Society – St. Paul, MN
The Minnesota Dejection Society presents the Blues Studio For Schoolhouse fundraiser volition be held on Sunday, November 15 from 12:00pm – 5:00pm at Minnesota Music Buffet 499 Payne Ave. St. Paul, MN. 100 percentage of the proceeds benefit MN Blueish Society'south Dejection for Kids plan. The suggested donation is $ten. The "Blues Studio for Schoolhouse," is a six-calendar week workshop that seeks to instill in children a deeper appreciation and awareness of blues music, its history, and influence in contemporary culture. The event will feature live performances by Joe Filipovich'due south band. The Blueish Cities. Squishy Mud, Armadillo Jump and Joyann & Sweet Tea are also scheduled to perform. In improver to live music, at that place will be a bake sale, auction and a greenbacks lottery. Support for the Blues for Kids program can also be shown by contributing to the Kickstarter entrada https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1932846301/blues-for-kids For more than info: mnbs.org
P.O. Box 721 Pekin, Illinois 61555 © 2022 Blues Blast Magazine (309) 267-4425
Source: https://www.bluesblastmagazine.com/issue-9-44-october-29-2015/
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