Been There Done That reviewed by Harmonica Joe Poluyanskis

Been There Done That

Linsey Alexander

Delmark Records

www.linsey-alexander.com

12 tracks/62:32

Delmark Records has just done another fine job with the release of Linsey Alexander’s CD “Been There Done That.” Alexander is truly a blues icon having playing the blues his way for several decades now. Having been born in Mississippi and being raised in Memphis Tennessee, Linsey left the South to head for Chicago to play the blues. After playing the Southside for many years he now has been on the Northside for at least the last 15 years. He has played with many of the great blues greats including Buddy Guy, AC Reed, Magic Slim and BB King to name just a few. Over the years he released several CDs on his own and now “Been There Done That” is here to let us know what Linsey Alexander is all about.

Joining Alexander on this recording we have Roosevelt Purifoy on piano and organ, Greg McDaniel on bass, James Wilson on drums and Billy Branch blowing harp on 3 tunes. Add the horns of Ryan Nyther (trumpet) and Bryan Fritz (sax) plus Mike Wheeler and Fabrizio “Breezy” Rodio adding rhythm and solo guitar we have a great 9 piece band for this CD. This whole recording was basically recorded as is with just a few guitar overdubs.

Right from the start with a blues shuffle, “Raffle Ticket”, I know that I am in for a real treat of Chicago blues. Billy Branch walks us into the tune with some of his awesome harp playing as “Hoochie Man” Alexander takes over with his powerful blues vocals. Behind all of this fine stuff is Purifoy pounding the ivory as James Wilson and Greg McDaniel keep the blues train running down the track. Linsey also showcases his guitar style with a couple of solos. This is really a great tune to open this recording.

“Been There Done That” takes us to that smooth place of rhythm & blues and features Purifoy on organ and the horns of Nyther and Fritz. Here Linsey give us the chance to just kick back and take in his voice and lyrics. In the same mode, he takes on the Willie Kent tune, “Looks Like It’s Going To Rain”. This is a swell tribute to his now departed long time friend. Alexander showcases his vocals and some Albert King sounding guitar work on this track. Also standing out here is Purifoy on keys and the tasteful horns in the background.

If you have a craving for some awesome harmonica licks, you can listen over and over to Billy Branch on “My Mama Gave Me The Blues”. This is truly some great stuff and what blues harp is all about. Good job Billy! “Hoochie Man” is just that on this tune as his vocals and guitar work are powerful on this slow blues tune. This, to me, is the best song on this recording.

Linsey Alexander has nailed the true meaning of the blues with this project. He does the blues his way and it is the blues. “Been There Done That” is over an hour of blues pleasure performed by one fine group of musicians. Having reviewed several CD’s in the recent past that just barely touch upon the genre of the blues I consider this a real treat to listen to.

Reviewed by Harmonica Joe

'Gotta Strange Feeling' reviewed by Mark Thompson

'Gotta Strange Feeling'

Li'L Ronnie & the Grand Dukes

EllerSoul Records ESP

www.lilronnie.com

www.ellersoul-records.com

14 tracks/

One might wonder why someone would decide to start a new record label in the middle of a devastating economic downturn. EllerSoul Records deserves credit for opting to move ahead, beginning their business venture with a slim roster populated by musicians that were still searching for their turn in the spotlight. The label's release by singer Marion James, Essence, garnered plenty of praise from the critics while two other solo releases by guitarists Andy Poxon and Ivan Appelrouth are nominated for the 2012 Blues Blast Music Award in the Best New Artist Debut Recording category.  Another release had Li'L Ronnie Owens on harp teamed with guitarist Terry Garland as an acoustic blues duo.

 Now Li'L Ronnie steps out with his regular band, the Grand Dukes, which features Appelrouth on six strings, John Sheppard on bass, Mark Young on drums and John Fralin on piano. Janet Martin handles the backing vocal on five cuts. Three tunes switch line-ups with Owens getting support from Stu Grimes on drums, Mike Moore on bass and Jim Wark on guitar. The program features two Li'L Ronnie originals along with ten others he co-wrote with Appelrouth.

Owens is a twenty-five year veteran based out of Richmond, VA with three independent releases under his belt, all featuring the Dukes... His singing is quite compelling on “Screaming & Crying” with Appelrouth on acoustic guitar and North Side Slim sitting in on maracas and his duet with Martin on “I Won’t Take it Any More” is another highlight.  The slower pace of “Love Never Dies” is another good fit for the leader’s pleading voice and Appelrouth adds a spell-binding solo. Owens delivers enthusiastic vocals on most tracks but on a few cuts, like a cover of Chuck Berry’s “C’est la Vie” and the title track, he falls short of matching the level of excitement that the band creates.

Tracks like “Sweet Sue” and the infectious “Can’t Please Your Wife” give Li’L Ronnie plenty of space for his robust harp blowing and Fralin makes good use of his solo opportunity. The swinging groove on Louis Jordan’s “Buzz Me” offers a nice change of pace while the opener, “Can’t Buy My Love”, finds the band sounding very comfortable in the traditional Chicago style. Owens gives the reeds on his harp a workout on “She’s Bad Bad News”, alternating a reedy sound in the upper register with a fatter tone on the other end of his instrument.  On the appropriately-named instrumental “Late Night Blues”, Owens and Appelrouth engage in an impeccable musical dialogue, expertly playing off each other’s lines. “Fat City” is a showcase for more of the leader’s raw harp, spurred on by a pounding beat from Young.

This very solid effort gives EllerSoul another little gem to add to their growing catalog. Li’L Ronnie, Appelrouth and the rest of the band consistently deliver tight performances that feature quality musicianship without resorting bursts of gratuitous showboating. I hope that I get the chance to see the band live. No doubt that it will be a rockin’ good time!!!

Reviewed by Mark Thompson

Blood Red Blues reviewed by Rick Davis

Blood Red Blues

Cee Cee James

FWG Records

12 Tracks

Christina (Cee Cee) James started her first band at the age of 12, after moving from Portland Oregon to California. She continued to work with rock, blues cover, and original bands until she formed her first original blues band, Stone Blue in San Diego. She improved her songwriting skills in the late 1990s and began recording song demo's in San Diego and Los Angeles.

She released her first CD, Spiritually Wet, in 1999 taking home the Los Angeles "Independent Artist of the Year Award." By 2004, she decided to move back to Portland, Oregon due to some traumatic life changes. She followed up in 2008 with her second CD title, Low Down Where The Snakes Crawl, co-written with Rob "Slideboy" Andrews, Cee Cee's husband and Slide/Rhythm guitar player, with 11 original cuts depicting her life of heartache. It was released by FWG Records and re-released by Blue Skunk Music in February 2010, gaining considerable air time and finally reaching #8 on the National Roots Music Report, #7 on XM 74 B.B. Kings Bluesville, and #15 on the Living Blues Report. She received the Klamath Falls, Oregon International Blues Challenge and was sent to Memphis, Tennessee to compete in the January 2010 IBC finals. In May of 2010, FWG Records released Cee Cee’s live CD Seriously Raw, recorded at the Sunbanks Blues Festival in eastern Washington. After being picked up again by Blue Skunk Music and re-released for world wide distribution in October, 2010, the CD rose to #1 on Cashbox, and dropped in the top 20 on the XM 74 B.B. Kings Bluesville chart, staying there for 10 weeks. It was also successful enough to earn Cee Cee the well deserved title of "Best Blues Songwriter" and "Best Blues Vocalist" for the Washington Blues Society in 2010.

Dubbed the "vocal volcano" by Robert Horn from the Washington Blues Society, James has combined the early funk and soul heard on her first CD, her later powerful, gritty vocals, and her superb songwriting to create her latest CD Blood Red Blues.

The CD, released July 17, 2012 on FWB Records, produced by the legendary Jim Gaines, contains twelve original blues tunes again co-written with Rob Slideboy' Andrews. Her vocals, compared at one time to the legendary Janis Joplin, have that same style combined with the seductive vocal style of Alannah Myles on this new release. The title track "Blood Red Blues" combines the slow deliberate slide guitar of Andrews, piercing leads by Rocky Athas, soulful vocals from James, and deep gospel background vocals into a masterful opening number. It is followed by "Let's All Get Loose" a heart pounding, hard drivin' tune, driven by the scorching leads of Athas and gripping vocals that will capture your soul. Cee Cee delivers passion and soul along with the smooth slide guitar work of Andrews on the tune "Feel My Love Come Down."  Cee Cee will put you into a trance with her sultry, soulful voice heard on "Comfort of a Good Heart." Her gritty, Joplin style vocals return on "I Got A Right To Sing The Blues" with the slide guitar of  Rob Slideboy' Andrews brought to center stage. In this tune, James shares the pain of her life experiences only to expand on those painful times and what they offer in the quiet tranquil song "Wounds." In "Worn Out Sins," Cee Cee asks the Lord for help to free her mind by healing the 'worn out sins' that have burdened her, sung in her gritty, Joplin style voice. "Walk On" is a powerful, raw tune about coming to grips with the problems plaguing society today, featuring superb guitar solos of Rocky Athas. The up-tempo tune "Cover Me With Love" and the slow blues number "100 Ways To Make Love" deliver a message about the passion and power of love. Cee Cee completes this new CD with the rocker "I'm Takin' Mine" as she tells us she has paid her dues and it's now time to give those hard earned ‘diamonds’ in her soul.

Her powerful vocals will chill you to the bone on Blood Red Blues, another masterpiece produced by Jim Gaines. It will captivate you from beginning to end, as you listen to this incredible new CD on FWG Records.

Reviewed by Rick Davis

Pleasure and Pain reviewed by Harmonica Joe Poluyanskis

Pleasure and Pain

Chris Watson Band

Gator Music

www.chriswatson-band.com

12 tracks/45:48

“Pleasure and Pain” is the Chris Watson Band’s new CD after their first recording “Just For Show” in 2010. The first recording got Watson and is band plenty of air time as well as being recognized by the Blues Underground Network as the winner of the Future of the Blues award. Watson has been playing guitar since he was 13.He took to it with a purpose, to play the blues. Soon he was able to play in the style of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert Collins and Albert King to name some of his influences. Not long after he was playing local venues honing his talent as a guitarist and finally ending up as the lead guitarist in his dad’s band. With the Up All Night Band he also became a singer as well as a song writer.

In 2006, Watson formed the Chris Watson Band and surrounded himself with a good group of musicians. Playing along with Chris’s vocals and guitar on the CD are bass players Billy Acord and Chris Gipson on different tracks, Jon Zoog and Jason Thomas switching off on drums. Sharing the keyboard duties  are Scott Morris and Eric Scortia while Justin Barbee horns in with his trumpet Jeff Dazey  adds a tasteful sax to the mix. Backup vocals are added to the mix by a great sounding Kristin Major completing the lineup of musicians on the CD.

“Pleasure and Pain” presents a good mix of 9 tunes penned by Watson and also 3 well done covers that also includes Chris’s take on Sean Costello’s “Hard Luck Woman”. On this track Chris plays a couple of rock solid guitar solos as well as singing the lyrics with deep feeling and clarity. Jason Thomas pushes the drum backing as needed to accent Watson’s guitar work. This is a good track to listen to. “Heart On My Sleeve” has a good Texas rock blues feel to it which gives me a sense of Hamilton Loomis to it. This song has that funkiness to it but does not drift away from the genre. Watson’s vocals seem just to flow with his guitar work creating a great balance between the two. Kristin Major also brings her well placed vocals to the stage on this track. Chris leaves plenty of space during his guitar solo and leaves us with a sense of music that we pay attention to.

A standout tune on “Pleasure and Pain” is the slow ballad, “Heartache”. Watson shows that he can bring out true emotion from his guitar as it cries out and whines. This is a tale of the heartache of love dragging one down to the depth of pain. In the lyrics he states he will overcome lost love, “but I’ll carry Lord I won’t cry, I’ll be gone in the blink of an eye”. This is what the blues is all about. The addition of the horns and Major’s backing vocals add a bunch to “Heartache”.  This is a fine blues tune.

Chris Watson and his band can take us into many places from straight blues, Texas rock blues. Gospel, boogies and even into funky. In all of this, what stands out is Watson’s ability to bring his guitar, vocals, lyrics and band to that place that it is all enjoyable to listen to. “Pleasure and Pain” has the type of music that we listen to and say this is the blues. The Chris Watson Band should travel a long ways with their style of music. 

Reviewed by Harmonica Joe Poluyanskis

They Call Me The Professor reviewed by Harmonica Joe Poluyanskis

They Call Me The Professor

Professor Harp (Hugh Holmes)

The Undaunted Professor Harp

www.professorharp.com

10 tracks/46:10

“They Call Me The Professor”, Hugh Holmes’ debut CD release, has been a long time coming. Born in Boston in 1951. Holmes has refined and defined his musical talents over the past 35 years. His main influences on harmonica were Little Walter, Big Walter and George Harmonica Smith while Magic Sam and Muddy Waters shape his vocal qualities. Sharing the stage with Luther Guitar Johnson, Muddy Waters and Soloman Burke is the base for his stage performance.

The ten tracks, on this recording, showcase Professor Harp’s harmonica, vocal and song writing skills in a strong way. The three instrumental tracks are all of different styles and are true examples of his awesome harmonica talent. “Texago At Doyle’s” is a full blown Little Walter electric harp type tune featuring Holmes’ long solos. We become aware that the Professor has paid his dues and really blows the blues. The guitar work from both Tom Ferraro and John Packer keep things moving as Mark Teixeir takes us down the road on the drums. This is one standout tune on this CD. “Eine Fur Herr Schmidt” brings the Professor’s chromatic harp skills to the forefront. This track is dedicated Harmonica Smith and is a great example of how chromatic harp is to be played. Marty supports Holmes on guitar as Mike Labelle carries the drum line.

The Undaunted Professor Harp is truly not discouraged or dismayed as he tells his life story with “Fighting The Battle”. After all his struggles, coming up to the present, he has overcome the obstacles in his path. This is a well written tune that hits hard upon the social issues present in our society. Holmes’ vocals standout clear and are very emotional on this song. Keith Munslow lends some strong keyboard to the lyrics which is a big plus here. This could be another best track on the CD.

“They Call Me The Professor” is a powerful statement of Professor Harp’s ability to play harmonica and be a true blues artist. The tough road that he walked upon seems to have been worth it. The benefit of the journey culminated in the release of this outstanding blues recording featuring tem tracks of blues pleasure. This is really a treat for all harmonica fans. 

Reviewed by Harmonica Joe Poluyanskis

Room to Move reviewed by Mark Thompson

Room to Move

The Dave Potter Trio

Self-released CDR

www.davepotter-music.com

14 tracks

Anyone who has ever attended one of the Monday night Blues jams held in Beloit over the last three and half years will know that guitarist Dave Potter has been the host of that series since its inception. Others will remember that Dave was the original guitar player for the Jimmys, appearing on their CD Gimme the Jimmys. Potter has a number of weekly gigs throughout southern Wisconsin, giving him the opportunities to develop a tight sound with his band. Recently Potter took two of his favorite musicians, keyboardist Dave Hernandez and drummer Steve Dougherty, into the studio for a five hour session that produced fourteen cuts recorded live on tape without overdubs. Some cuts would have benefited  from the addition of a bass guitar but overall the sound quality is quite acceptable

 There is a good mix of vocal tracks and instrumental numbers. The opener, “Fine”, showcases Potter's skill at developing intriguing guitar lines without overplaying while Hernandez lends support utilizing the organ setting on his Yamaha keyboard.  The trio is equally effective on a soulful rendition of Curtis Mayfield's classic “People Get Ready” while “Blue Bossa” gives Potter the chance to show off his jazz chops. Another instrumental, “Coming Home Baby” finds Potter and Hernandez trading solos over Dougherty's propulsive drumming. Plenty of guitarists over the years have cut their teeth on the instrumental standard, “Sleepwalk”. Potter's version finds the guitarist again showing tasteful restraint, sticking close to melody line while managing to add a few of his own embellishments that make the tune one of the highlights. “Coming Home Baby” finds Hernandez laying down some greasy organ licks.

 Hernandez shows off his vocal skills on a fine rendition of “Groovin'”. Add Potter's tasteful solo and you have another high point on the disc. The group slows the pace on “Yonders Wall”, giving the tune a funky groove. Potter is at his best on “After the Rain”, his voice capturing the intense longing expressed in this Damon Fowler classic. Dougherty takes listeners to the west side of Chicago with a soulful rendition of Magic Sam's “Easy Baby”. You get mixed results on other tracks with Hernandez missing the mark on “Ain't No Sunshine” before recovering with a solid effort on “Sunny”. Potter effectively navigates the up-tempo “In My Room” but he sounds a bit off at a similar pace on “Big Jim”, which benefits from his fiery guitar solo.

Potter continues to put a lot of time, energy and enthusiasm in promoting blues music in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. This recording is an accurate – and highly enjoyable – statement on the current state of his musical artistry. You can check tunes out at his website. If you like what you hear, Dave is selling copies on-line for only $9.95 including free shipping. Give it a listen. Dave deserves the support !!!

Reviewed by Mark Thompson

Clarksdale reviewed by Steve Jones

Clarksdale

Liz Mandeville

Blue Kitty Music

www.lizmandeville.com

11 tracks

With five CDs now under her belt, Liz Mandeville remains a fresh and exciting presence in the blues world.  Now on her own record label, Mandeville began this effort with good friend Willie “Big Eyes” Smith and bassist Darryl Wright and got five tracks down before Smith left to honor some tour dates.  Willie, who had urged Mandeville on to start her own label, promised to return to finish the album after his tour, but the Big Man upstairs had other plans for Muddy Water’s old beat keeper. Mandeville pressed on after Smith’s passing and cut a half dozen more songs in his honor, half of them with her 2012 IBC duo partner Donna Herula.

What I really like about this album is Liz’ voice.  Grit, guts, and feeling really pop– she’s got the blues and lets you know about it.  The songs range over a variety of topics, from the lamentations of “A Soldiers Wife” to the double entendres of “Sweet Potato Pie” she shows she can slow it down with feeling or deliver the heat.  The latter features none other than Eddie Shaw on sax, who adds a nice layer of grease to the jumping and swing “”Pie”.  Herula’s slide on the former cut is also inspiring.

Mandeville bares it all in an acapella cut with deep Gospel roots called “No Fear/Everything.”  She blends blues and Gospel in this song of hope and restoration.  Nick Moss is featured on the last track, adding his stinging electric guitar.  Liz sings “My Mama Wears Combat Boots.”  When kids would kid each other about other’s mom’s , Mandeville sings that her mama might not be fat or ugly as kids may chide, but she does wear combat boots and carries a gun that shoots!  An apt song for today’s  military where women serve as proudly as men do.

A visit to the Delta inspired this album, and in “Clarksdale/Riverside Hotel Blues” we have Liz singing along with Leandro Lopez-Varady tickling the keys with equal aplomb to Mandeville.  She sings of the history and wonder of this birthplace of the blues.  “4:20 Blues” take politicians to the wood shed for their war mongering.  This cut could be something lifted from the peace movement of decades past, with Liz irate and at her gutsiest.

Smith appears on drums on all of the tracks he participated in.  His shuffling is always a pleasure.  He adds his harp to the opener “Roadside Produce Stand” and “Walking and Talking to You” and vocally backs Mandeville on the opening cut.  It rocks and swings with the vocals and slick harp, and sets a high standard for the other songs to follow. “Walking and Talking” is real Chicago blues with Liz at the bottom of her vocal range and Willie’s harp just laying it out there.

Also on the CD is Jim Godsey, wjho engineered, mixed and mastered the album in addition to playing bass and drums in support of Liz and Nick Moss on their cut.  The production is clean and balanced.

All the cuts are new and pretty darn good.  Mandeville’s efforts here are fairly inspired and I think she holds her own with the blues women of today.  She had some surgery and her trip to Clarksdale helped her recover physically while inspiring her musically.  I think most blues fans will find something here to savor!

Reviewed by Steve Jones