TOMIKO DIXON
BLUES ARISING
LITTLE RED ROOSTER–I’M READY–IT DON’T MAKE SENSE, YOU CAN’T MAKE PEACE–IT DON’T MAKE SENSE, YOU CAN’T MAKE PEACE (INST.)–YOU DON’T WANT TO MESS WITH THE IRS–YOU DON’T WANT TO MESS WITH THE IRS (INST.)–WANG DANG DOODLE–HEARTACHE BLUES–A NEW DAY ARISING–A NEW DAY ARISING (INST.)
Tomiko Dixon is sho’ nuff blues royalty. Yup–her grandfather was the one and only legend of the blues, bassist and composer extraordinaire Willie Dixon. Willie wrote some of the most powerful songs in the entire blues canon, from “Hoochie Coochie Man” to “Little Red Rooster,” to “Wang Dang Doodle,” and countless others that we have all grown up listening to. Tomiko has taken her huge voice and lent it to several of grandad’s greatest plus a few other originals and turned it into “Blues Arising.” In the grand tradition of Koko, Big Time Sarah, Zora Young, Mary Lane, and other powerhouse women of the blues, she treats these classics with respect, and shows a passion for this music that is unparalleled.
She leads off with a 21ST Century contemporary take on that “Little Red Rooster on the prowl,” before gettin’ down to bidness with the traditional Chicago-styled sounds of “drinkin TNT and smokin’ dynamite,” the iconic “I’m Ready,” and an equally-impressive read of “pitchin’ a ball, on down to the Union Hall,” at that “Wang Dang Doodle!”
Tomiko shows off her “torchy” side, with only her vocal and piano for the smoldering, church-ified “Heartache Blues.” And further proving that a great singer can handle any material, she closes the set with a pure-country anthem of survival, growth, and prospering throughout whatever life may throw at you, “A New Day Arising.”
Tomiko Dixon is a noted philanthropist who continues to give back to the music community that has given so much to her. As for grandad’s music, well, with “Blues Arising,” it is definitely in good hands! Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues And Roots Alliance.
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