THE MIGHTY MOJO PROPHETS
RECORD STORE
MOJO KING MUSIC
CRAZY LOVE–RECORD STORE–DEVIL AT YOUR DOOR–THINGS DON’T CHANGE–STRONG TOGETHER–WORKIN MAN–WEST COAST GIRL–CHERRY RED–GOOD GIRL TRAIN–SPIDER AND THE FLY–BRING IT ON HOME–WONDERING–ALL THUMBS
We’ve all got stories about the good times that could always be had down at your friendly neighborhood “Record Store!”—hey, we worked in one after school back in the day! That’s the name of the latest set of original, primal, West Coast jump-blues and boogie from one of our favorite bands, The Mighty Mojo Prophets.
They consist of Tom “Big Son” Eliff on vocals, Mitch Dow on guitars, Dave Deforest on bass, Tom Richmond on all the harps, Mike Malone on keys, and Al Ricci on skins. These thirteen tunes are more of what this band has been puttin’ down since they were nominated for a BMA in 2012 following their self-titled Rip Cat Records debut, and this set is their tightest and strongest to date.
Leadin’ off is a dyno-mite little boogie shuffle about that funny feeling you get when you know she ain’t doin’ you right–you get out that “Night Train wine and a fifth of JD, too,” to beat that “Crazy Love.” Mitch cranks up the wah-wah action on the loping beat of the title cut, where Lamar Duarte’s store changed many a young life forever. Tom takes a stroll on the big ol’ chromatic over Tom’s ode to those we can all identify with, the “Workin’ Man, workin’ for your next payday!”
There are plenty of good gals to go around, too! There’s that swingin’ “West Coast Girl” who’s always waiting when you get home. There’s the one that got away at first, but is coming home on that funky “Good Girl Train.” Then, there’s the one we all wish we had—the one who can “turn the day into night,” and “turns me Cherry Red!” The set closes with a blistering boogie-fied instrumental, “All Thumbs,” featuring sweet guitar-and-chromatic interplay between Mitch and Tom.
Our favorite had a topical, socially-conscious message behind it. No matter what, you can’t watch TV or read the paper without knowing that “Things Don’t Change, no matter where you turn!”
We never had Big William Clarke or Snooky Pryor at the Sound Shop where we worked, but “Lamar’s Record Store” and The Mighty Mojo Prophets, thru their most excellent blues sound, sho’ nuff have some stories to tell! Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues Society.
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