25 Dec
To all our readers, supporters, PR and A & R folks, artists, families, fans, and friends, we’d like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, full of love, peace, and joy in this most wonderful season of all! More reviews on the way in the coming days!
Until next time….
Sheryl and Don Crow
16 Dec
HEATHER NEWMAN
BURN ME ALIVE
VIZZTONE VT-HN-001
WILLIE JAMES–BRING THE SWING–HOWLING FOR LOVE–BURN ME ALIVE–HIGH MOUNTAIN BLUES–HOW MANY TIMES?–LOVE STRONG–I DON’T KNOW WHY–WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?–DIRTY BLUES–SHARE YOUR LOVE–I’M THROUGH WITH YOU
We first heard Heather Newman as a guest vocalist on “Live At Knucklehead’s, Vol. 1,” from the Nick Schnebelen Band. Hailing from Omaha, NE, Heather has literally grown up as a musician and composer during this year, using her time on tour with Nick to watch, listen, and learn. She’s stepped squarely into the national spotlight with the release of her first studio set, “Burn Me Alive,” from Vizztone. Heather is on vocals and bass, with Keith Ladd on guitar, Ryan Flemmer on keys, and Cole Dillingham doubling down on drums and guitar.
On this set, Heather offers twelve original looks at life, love, and the human condition, at times wearing her heart painfully on her sleeve in the process. Up first is a shot of Delta blues with the tale of “Willie James, drinkin’ his whiskey and gin,” then gives way to the Diddley sway of the yin and the yang, as Heather’s “got the rhythm, while you Bring The Swing!” Nick Schnebelen brings his axe to the party on the rhumba-rock of “High Mountain Blues,” while “How Many Times?” is Heather’s ode to life on the road as a traveling musician. The question of trust between lovers is addressed in the Fifties-inspired balladry of “I Don’t Know Why,” and, when Heather’s lover isn’t around, she’d rather you’d just “Burn Me Alive,” for “without you, I got nowhere to go.”
We had two favorites, too. Michael Lefever’s sax adds to the smoky, after-hours vibe of “Dirty Blues,” while the set closes on a second-line note, as Heather catches her lover “messin’ ’round all over town,” and, sho’ nuff, “I’m Through With You!” And, hang on after the cut ends–a few seconds later, there’s a cool piano-guitar instrumental coda to close everything out!
2017 has been good to Heather Newman. She’s come into her own as a bandleader, composer, and vocalist, with the material in “Burn Me Alive” giving the listener a great insight as to what the blues means to her! Best of luck, Heather! Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues Society.
15 Dec
JIM SHANEBERGER BAND
ABOVE AND BELOW
SELF-RELEASED
MY WAY–INDIFFERENCE–ABOVE AND BELOW–BRIGHT SIDE–AIN’T YOUR DADDY’S BLUES–I CAN’T SLEEP–WAY DOWN SOUTH–JUST SAYIN’ BRO–WHOLE LOTTA SOUL
Blasting out of Western Michigan, the Jim Shaneberger Band features Jim on guitars and vocals, with Jeff Baldus on bass, and drums shared by Steve Harris, and, on one cut, Karl Schantz. Of the nine original cuts that comprise their second album, “Above And Below,” all were either written by Jim wholly, or with other band members. They mix elements of Hendrix, SRV, and Led Zep, and toss in a love for the Motown sound to give the whole project a little shot of funk.
The fellows set up a stone free groove on the leadoff cut, where Jim sings, “It’s My Way or no way at all.” They proudly preach ’bout that “new sound goin’ down, and it Ain’t Your Daddy’s Blues,” over a roadhouse shuffle beat, and then they all head “Way Down South, chasin’ my demons while my demons chase me!” This one features Jim’s Delta-fied slow-blues guitar, set over a pounding, percussive backbeat.
We had two favorites, too. Both “Indifference” and “Above And Below” beg the musical question, “how many lives must be lost before we get things right,” with “innocent people dying in the streets every time I see the news!” “Indifference” was written in response to the shootings of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling in 2016, and each of these songs show the power of music in reaching out to a troubled society.
For the Jim Shaneberger Band, it’s all about that music. Each song on “Above And Below” is a unique, energetic look at what these guys typically bring to their live shows, and we give this one two big thumbs up! Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow.
14 Dec
FREEWORLD
WHAT IT IS
SWIRL DISC SD 87625 445
DEEPER BY THE MINUTE–FIND A BETTER WAY–SHRIMP ‘N’ GRITS–DINJA BABE–IT’S ALRIGHT–FOR THE MOMENT–THE SHAPE I’M IN–SIDESWIPED–ANOTHER SUNDAY NIGHT–BELIEVE–EVE WAITS
FreeWorld describe themselves as an “independent, regionally-touring, ever-evolving, Memphis-based musical ensemble” who have been performing as a unit since 1987. That 30-year celebration coincides with the release of their seventh album overall, “What It Is.”
The group formed back then when bassist Richard Cushing met sax legend Dr. Herman Green. The band’s many influences are all over this collection, including Tower Of Power, Grateful Dead, Coltrane, Booker T., Zappa, The Meters, Steely Dan, and many more diverse outfits. These originals take the listener up and down Beale St. with some serious funk, jazz, blues, R & B, and even an Eastern-influenced tune.
Let’s get down to what it REALLY is. The set starts with the horn-driven funk of “Deeper By The Minute,” then gives way to the socially-conscious explosiveness of “Find A Better Way,” where we learn to “celebrate, don’t separate,” and “every day is a gift.” “Beatle-esque harmonies and backing vocals from Memphis icon Jody Stephens drive the dreamy “Dinja Babe,” while Stephani McCoy is the guest vocalist on the jazz-themed, “Believe.”
Our favorite was easy. Capturing the very spirit of Memphis blues, and, more specifically, Beale Street, “Another Sunday Night” is a stone party from B. B.’s, down ta Blues City Cafe and every joint in between! Add in some killer tenor work, and you’ll see why they call him “Dr. Green!”
FreeWorld funks up the rock, and rocks up the funk. They’ve cooked up a serious Memphis soul stew on Bobby Flay’s cooking show, and, they are a Beale Street institution, and they have their own Brass Note on the Beale Street Walk Of Fame as proof of their excellence in all things music. Satisfy your soul, and find out “What It Is” all about from FreeWorld. Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues Society.
12 Dec
PAUL MARK
DECEMBER AT THE P. O.
CD SINGLE
RADIATION RECORDS RDTN 5980
Paul Mark is one of the most eclectic and avant-garde artists on the contemporary scene. He’s always good for unusual and thought-provoking material, , and this holiday season finds him spending “December At The P. O.” on his latest single for Radiation Records, from the forthcoming album, “Silent Movies.” This song is set over a piano-and-strings holiday-themed arrangement, and traces the angst of our hero as he is “an all-night sorter down at the P. O.!” Simultaneously bittersweet, honest, and humorous, he finds himself on yet another “18-hour Sunday,” with “a trick knee that blew out on a Black Friday lift,” looking forward only to “drinking in the New Year once this blizzard’s through.”
A perfect fit for this tumultuous holiday season, we anxiously await what’s to come, but for now we’ll settle for “December At The P. O.” Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues Society.
11 Dec
VARIOUS ARTISTS
THE BLUES FOUNDATION PRESENTS
INTERNATIONAL BLUES CHALLENGE #33 2017
SHINE ON–DAWN TYLER WATSON LET’S HEAR SOME BLUES–JOHNNY FINK AND THE INTRUSION ‘TILL I GET TO MEMPHIS–RANDY MCQUAY 2029–BRODY BUSTER’S ONE MAN BAND DON’T DIG TODAY–AL HILL CATFISH BOOGIE–SOBO BLUES BAND I DON’T HAVE PROOF–RUTH WYAND AND THE TRIBE OF ONE GOOD LOVIN (HOT AND FRESH FROM THE OVEN)–THE SOULIZ BAND FEATURING SUGAR AND SPICE I HATE YOU ‘CAUSE I LOVE YOU–FELIX SLIM CHAINS THAT BIND–WES LEE ONIONS AIN’T THE ONLY THING–SAM JOYNER ELBOW GREASE–RAE GORDON AND THE BACKSTREET DRIVERS DANGEROUS–KING BEE MEET ME IN THE COUNTRY–SUGAR BROWN
It’s that time of year again, and we don’t necessarily mean the holidays. We’re talking about the exciting compilation CD put together thru a joint effort of The Blues Foundation and the good folks over at Frank Roszak Promotions. Yep–“IBC #33” features fourteen live cuts culled from the hundreds of performances occurring in the week-long festivities during The International Blues Challenge in Memphis back in February of this year. Players from both the Band and Solo/Duo Category are represented, and the songs are all-originals from the players.
First Place Band winner Dawn Tyler Watson leads off by taking us to Blues Church with the powerhouse gospel overtures of “Shine On.” Solo/Duo winner Al Hill plays piano on his “Don’t Dig Today,” but his axe skills also brought home the coveted Solo Division Outstanding Guitarist award.
Those who didn’t win have plenty to offer, tho. Check out Brody Buster’s One Man Band with his apocalyptic tale of what might happen on “September 23, 2029!” Ruth Wyand And The Tribe Of One touches on the topic of a cheatin’ lover with “I Don’t Have Proof,” while The Souliz Band Featuring Sugar And Spice are in it for a down-home good time on “Good Lovin (Hot And Fresh From The Oven).
We had a favorite, too. Likely this one is a crowd-pleaser wherever it is played, as Johnny Fink And The Intrusion dig on every classic riff they can get their frets on, from Freddie to Elmo and everywhere in between with the party anthem, “Let’s Hear Some Blues!”
In about six weeks or so, after the turkey is all eaten and the packages are all unwrapped, the festivities will crank up for the 34TH IBC, and if you’re lucky enough to go, you’ll be in the presence of the most comprehensive gathering of blues talent on the planet. For a taste of what’s coming, grab a shot of what has been with “International Blues Challenge #33!” Until next time….Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues Society.
9 Dec
DAVE KEYES
THE HEALING
CHANGE–DANCE IN THE DARK–NOT SO NICE ANYMORE–AIN’T LOOKING FOR LOVE–TRAVELING RIVERSIDE BLUES–BOOGIE FOR STEFAN–COME TO ME–STRANGE THINGS HAPPENING–FAITH GRACE LOVE AND FORGIVENESS–TAKE YOU BACK–BOX OF BLUES
New York-based keyboard wizard/composer/vocalist Dave Keyes is another artist we always look forward to when it comes to new music. He’s eclectic and unique with a style rooted in traditional blues as well as keeping an eye toward the future. That spirit drives the eleven cuts that make up his latest set, “The Healing.,” nine originals and two righteous covers. If you check out our review for Popa Chubby’s latest set, (posted December 4), you’ll notice that Dave Keyes is all over the keyboards on that album, and Popa returns the favor here, swingin’ his mighty axe on five cuts.
The party starts with a harp riff from Rob Paparozzi on the clarion call for “Change” everywhere, “if you don’t like that view,” and be sure to “keep on heading toward the light!” Vaneese Thomas plays the female lead while Dave is the tomcat on the prowl, as our two paramours “head straight for dessert,” ’cause “I Ain’t Looking For Love!” Rob’s on the harp here, with Popa on guitar, too. A cool horn section gives Dave’s original, “Dance In The Dark,” the feel that it coulda been a long-lost gem from Allen Toussaint, while Dave’s mean left hand takes us thru a swingin’ instrumental, “Boogie For Stefan.” “Come To Me,” a lovely ballad written by Dave and Popa, features Popa’s guitar as Dave pleads for a lover to leave a bad situation. He stays in that poignant moment for a definitive call for healing through “Faith, Grace, Love And Forgiveness,” this one backed by the voices of the Brooklyn Interdenominational Choir.
This one was full of favorites. Chubby’s slide glides over a Diddley beat as Dave sings of being “tired of living for what I’ve settled for,” “Not So Nice Anymore.” Dave and Chubby get on down to the bidness of the blues, with a six-minute ride to the Crossroads by way of Robert Johnson’s iconic “Traveling Riverside Blues.” Then, just as sure as Sunday morning follows Saturday night, Dave’s vocal and piano and the backing chorus do some sweet trstifyin’ on Sister Rosetta’s “Strange Things Happening every day!”
Dave Keyes knows the only way for things to change starts within all of us. On the music contained within “The Healing,” he offers up some excellent social commentary and sends a message of hope to a troubled society, and, Dave, for this we thank you! Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues Society.
8 Dec
ROCKIE CHARLES
BORN FOR YOU
ORLEANS RECORDS ORL 1911
BORN FOR YOU–OLD BLACK JOEL–OH MY DARLING LOOK WHAT YOU’RE DOING TO ME–FESTIS BELIEVE IN JUSTICE–SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH OUR LOVE–I NEED YOUR LOVE SO BAD, I’M ABOUT TO LOSE MY MIND–DON’T LET ME GO–I JUST CALLED TO WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS–I LIKE TO MAKE LOVE WHEN IT’S POURING DOWN RAIN–THERE IS A RAINBOW HANGIN’ OVER MY SHOULDER
Born in Boothville, LA, Rockie Charles (Merrick) got his inspiration to play guitar from his father, a musician who played in local juke joints. And, he loved boats and water, growing up along the Mississippi. At thirteen, his family moved to New Orleans, and his musical career began to take root. But, there was always the pull of the river, and he became a tugboat captain at age eighteen. Everyone knows, tho, that you can’t keep a good bluesman down. Known as “The President Of Soul,” Rockie took out an ad in a local paper looking for gigs, and that got the attention of Orleans Records producer Carlo Ditta. In 1996, the tacks that would become “Born For You” were laid down. Twenty years down the blues highway, this Southern soul masterpiece has been re-issued, now on vinyl and CD, showcasing the plaintive vocals and guitar of this truly unsung hero of the blues.
His quiet, almost reverential, singing voice easily reaches the upper registers, and is part Al Green, part O. V. Wright, and sho’ nuff 100% soul. He takes eleven looks at life and love thru the eyes, heart, and soul of a true soul/blues pioneer. Leading off is the title cut, as Rockie tells his lover that “I was Born For You.” A chance meeting with an old friend leads to childhood reminiscences of “Old Black Joel,” while the plaintive ballad, “Oh My Darling, Look What You’re Doing To Me” features Smoky Greenwell on harp. Rockie also gets in a playful mode with the pop-flavored “Festis Believe In Justice.”
Rockie gets us into the holiday spirit with “I Just Called To Wish You A Merry Christmas,” and riffs on a groove that a lot of us guys who live down South can relate to, “I Like To Make Love When It’s Pouring Down Rain.” Our favorite was perhaps the most uptempo cut on the set. The horns and backing chorus give a danceable groove to “I Need Your Love So Bad, I’m About To Lose My Mind.”
The reissue of Rockie Charles’ “Born For You” returns to the limelight the incredible talents of “The President Of Soul!” Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues Society.
4 Dec
THE LOVE LIGHT ORCHESTRA
FEATURING JON NEMETH
BLUE BARREL RECORDS BBR 319952
SEE WHY I LOVE YOU–BAD BREAKS–I’VE BEEN WRONG SO LONG–IT’S YOUR VOODOO WORKING–SOMETIMES–WHAT ABOUT LOVE–POVERTY–LONESOME AND HIGH–SINGIN FOR MY SUPPER–THIS LITTLE LOVE OF MINE–PLEASE SEND ME SOMEONE TO LOVE–LOVE AND HAPPINESS
As a lifelong resident of Tennessee, when discussing what is referred to in musical circles as “the Memphis sound,” several images come to mind. Certainly the Sun/Presley/rockabilly sounds from 706 Union Ave. are undeniable, as are the deeply-soulful music that emanated from the Stax and Hi studios. And, there’s another category of horn-driven R & B that was played in the clubs up and down Beale, (as well as down on Jefferson Street here in Nashville) in the Fifties and Sixties. In Memphis, it was popularized by artists such as Junior Parker, Bobby Bland, and B. B. Obviously, it takes a vocalist with a huge voice to pull it all together, and, for the latest release from Blue Barrel Records, “The Love Light Orchestra” features one of the best there is–two-time Blues Music award winner,John Nemeth. Along with guitarist Joe Restivo and trumpet man-arranger Marc Franklin, they drive this swingin’ ten-piece outfit thru twelve cuts of pure, unadulterated, joyfully-rockin’ R & B. Nine are vintage covers, and the three originals are written within the context of the big band sound.
One of those originals, from Joe Restivo, leads off, as John testifies the many virtues of a good lover, “See Why I Love You.” The horn arrangements and the percussion patterns give “This Little Love Of Mine” and “It’s Your Voodoo Working” a New Orleans vibe, while John brings to life the plaintive Percy Mayfield classic, “Please Send Me Someone To Love,” through his beautiful vocal take.
Every cut is a winner, but we had two favorites. First up, John gives a cool, upper-register read of Freddie King’s “mama, mama, What About Love?” And, the set closes with a brilliant re-working of Al Green’s “Love And Happiness,” turning this classic into a toe-tapping shuffle!
Altho there is plenty of guitar work herein, the emphasis is on the sax, horns, and powerhouse vocals from John. Recorded live at the tiny DKDC Bar in midtown Memphis (sure hope they had a dance floor!), John Nemeth and “The Love Light Orchestra” successfully meld the uptown swing of vintage R & B with the gritty side of straight blues, and John keeps the spirit of this music alive in what is a “must-hear” set! Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues Society.
3 Dec
JIM VEGAS
SOUL SHATTERED SISTER
GOONZY MAGOO RECORDS GMR 04
SOUL SHATTERED SISTER–BAD FRUIT IN THE YARD-TILL THE WHOLE THING BLOWS–NOT THAT STRONG–LOVE IS COMING BACK AROUND–EVERYTHING YOU DON’T NEED–FAIRWEATHER FRIEND–FAR FROM YOU–LIGHTNING HIT THE BOX–LIFE IS HARD–SUN IS GONNA SMILE
Kansas guitar slinger Jim Vegas fell in love with the blues the first time he heard a B. B. King album. On his fourth album, “Soul Shattered Sister,” Jim combines those blues with touches of soul, jazz, and even reggae for eleven original looks at the human condition and how music helps us cope.
Along with Jim on vocals and guitars, Luke Young’s sax gives these cuts that extra special touch of soul. Check out how it all comes together on the tale of love on the rocks due to “bad fruit on the vine and Bad Fruit In The Yard.” A reassurance that “Love Is Coming Back Again” follows that reggae groove, while, at the other end of love’s wide spectrum, there’s always that “Fairweather Friend” who’ll hit you below the belt at the first opportunity.
We had several favorites. Another love affair that bites the dust is the theme of “Lightning Hit The Box, sparks flew, and the lights went down.” This one has that jazzy, hip feel of the heyday of Becker and Fagen. The title cut is another story of love in disrepair, “Soul Shattered Sister,” where “no one can save you if you don’t want them to.” That becomes Jim’s mantra and a metaphor for a politically-polarized nation. That feeling is carried over in another socially-charged cut, where “it’s just a matter of time Till The Whole Thing Blows.” On the set’s bluesiest cut, Jim pays a slide-driven tribute to John Lee Hooker with the endless boogie beat of “Not That Strong,” dealing with man’s ultimate temptation from the opposite sex.
Jim Vegas puts the emphasis on the stories within the songs on “Soul Shattered Sister.” Upon repeated listenings, we found the clever lyrics and unique characters akin to those of another of our favorite players, Webb Wilder. Do yourself a favor and give this one a listen! Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues Society.
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