Gaye Without Shame reviewed by Mark Thompson

Gaye Without Shame
Gaye Adegbalola
Vizztone Records
www.vizztone.com
18 tracks/73:35

Adegbalola gained attention as a member of Saffire - the Uppity Blues women. For her latest solo project, she has decided to proudly address her sexuality. That is apparent in the opening cut, "Queer Blues", which describes her journey of sexual discovery over a New Orleans style R&B groove. Other tracks are subtler in their approach. Her marvelous duet with Resa Gibbs on Jimmy Reed's "Honest I Do" gently changes your viewpoint on this classic. Gaye works her magic again on "The Great Pretender", creating an anthem for oppressed people of the world.

Another highlight is the stunning reworking of "Let It Be Me' as the voices of Gaye and Cleome expertly dance around each other in a passionate performance. And there is plenty of humor present in Gaye's work, as evident on the rocking "Hetero Twinges", describing a man so good looking that he turns the head of every woman despite her orientation.

In addition to singing, Gaye adds guitar on four cuts. She is well served by the backing band that includes veteran Bob Margolin on guitar and bass, Roddy Barnes on piano and Jim Brock on drums. Margolin's slide guitar drives "Twisted Mind Blues" while Barnes contributes a jaunty piano part on "Tippin' on the Down Low".

There is plenty of fine music and heartfelt performances on this release. Some listeners might be put off by Gaye putting her sexuality out front. Her response is found in the last track. Joined by the Fredericksburg Freedom Singers, Adegbalola lifts up a moving acapella version of "I Ain't Ashamed".

Orange Blossoms reviewed by Mark Thompson

Orange Blossoms
JJ Grey & Mofro
Alligator Records
www.alligatorrecords.com
12 tracks/53:53

Their second Alligator release finds Grey and Mofro continuing to explore their potent mix of funky swamp rock & soul music that stems from Grey's formulative years in his home state of Florida. Grey has one of those expressive voice that is thick with a soulful feel. He could sing the pages of a phone book and still command your attention !!
Listen to the title track at the open of the disc - Grey's vocal oozes a southern feel over a ringing guitar riff and a driving horn section. The arrangement slowly builds in strength and Grey steadily builds the emotional intensity of his performance, his voice displaying a harder edge to match the music swelling around him.
"The Devil You Know" is a funky workout with a female backing chorus that serves as a fine contrast to another strong Grey vocal. One highlight of the disc is the somber "She Don't Know", a Grey original that features a string section and a more restrained, but none-the-less passionate, vocal from the leader.

Grey is indeed the main man on this project. Besides writing all but one song and handling the lead vocals, he plays a variety of instruments including guitar, sitar, piano, clavinet, harmonica and percussion. His compositions continue to prove his skill as a musical arranger. This batch of tunes is not as strong lyrically as previous efforts but Grey makes up for any shortcomings with the sincerity of his performance. Band members Adam Scone (bass & organ) and Anthony Cole (drums) make key contributions by establishing a strong rhythmic foundation throughout the disc.

"WYLF (What Your Looking For)" comes across like a long-lost medium tempo funk workout from Sly Stone. The longest track, "Move It On", is another slow burner with a spooky arrangement that creates a sense of forbidding and doom. Grey reveals his gospel roots on the closing track "I Believe (In Everything)", his voice soaring over a spare accompaniment before the vocal chorus and horn section join in, pushing Grey's voice to even greater heights.

If you have resisted the urge to check-out prior releases from JJ & Mofro, this new release gives you the opportunity to correct your error of omission. Grey delivers another outstanding set in his unique style that aims for your soul and rarely misses the mark.

Feel So Good reviewed by Mark Thompson

Feel So Good
Albert Cummings
Blind Pig Records
www.blindpigrecords.com
11 tracks/58:49

Several years ago Albert Cummings did a set on the main stage at the Mississippi Valley Blues Fest. The intensity of that performance and his mastery of the guitar had fans lined up to get his autograph for over an hour. All of Cummings' fans can now rejoice as his third release for Blind Pig was recorded live at the Colonial Theater in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

Backed by Daniel Broad on bass and Aaron Scapin on drums, Albert lights it up on straight-ahead rockers like "Party Right Here" and "Why Me". He fires off one fiery guitar riff after another, to the delight of the audience. The proceedings take a dramatic turn when Cummings tackles the atmospheric original "Sleep". He follows that up with an unusual medley that pairs "Hoochie Coochie Man" with Little Feats "Dixie Chicken". The band's expert segue between the two disparate tunes makes it seem like they are simply two pieces of the same composition. In Cummings hands, the familiar riff from "Hoochie Coochie Man" morphs into something more like the guitar riff from Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky". The concert crowd joins in on the chorus to "Dixie Chicken".
"Barrelhouse Blues" slows the pace down for a blistering guitar tour-de-force and a vocal of equal intensity. Cummings turns in one of the heaviest versions of "Rock Me Baby" that you will ever hear. Try to imagine Led Zepplin covering the blues classic. In fact, Cummings covers Zepplin on the closing track, finishing off with a high octane version of "Rock and Roll".

Fans of the blues/rock power trio format are going to love this one. Blues fans should approach with caution as Cummings indulges more of his rock instincts throughout the recording. But there is no denying that Albert is a musician and performer to be reckoned with. Feel So Good captures him in his element, live on stage.

Full Tilt reviewed by Mark Thompson

Full Tilt

Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials
Alligator Records
http://www.alligatorrecords.com/

14 tracks/59:08

The nasty guitar lick that opens this disc serves as a warning for the raucous proceedings that follow. "Hold That Train" is a stomping opener that announces that Lil' Ed is back and taking' no prisoners. The urgency of the performance captures the excitement of a live show by the band, not a easy thing to do in a studio environment.

And the great news is that the rest of the disc manages to maintain the same high level of performance. Some of Ed's previous recordings have been inconsistent efforts that failed to play to his strengths. This time out Ed has a batch of mostly original tunes that place the band in the houserockin' mode that they are famous for.
Tracks like "Don't Call Me" and "Candy Sweet" feature Ed's razor-sharp slide
guitar licks over the driving rhythm section of James "Pookie" Young on bass and Kelly Lttleton on drums. The other band member is Michael Garrett on second guitar. All three have been members of the Blues Imperials for some time, which has allowed the band to test the material on the bandstand before recording these definitive versions. The sound is enhanced by the addition of Johnny Iguana on keyboards and a horn section of Eddie McKinley on tenor and David Basinger on baritone sax.

Despite the strength of the up-tempo material, the real highlights of the disc are the four slower tracks that feature outstanding vocals from Lil' Ed. "Check My Baby's Oil" is a sexually suggestive track that escapes novelty status due to Ed's convincing performance. Ed explores the crushing effects of love lost on "Life Got in the Way", wringing emotion out of every note he sings before breaking into a brief guitar break. The arrangement gets added weight from Iguana on organ. The autobiographical track, "Dying to Live", gives Ed a chance to share his views on his life, punctuated by stinging guitar fills. "Every Man Needs a Good Woman" is more of the same - deep blues sung with conviction and played with the searing intensity of someone who has stared the devil in the face and lived to tell about it.

The band closes the disc with a tribute to the great Chicago slide guitar player, Hound Dog Taylor, ratcheting up the energy level even higher as Ed shouts out the minimal vocal refrain over frenzied guitar licks. It is a fitting end to an hour of outstanding performances that mark this as best recording from Lil' Ed in a long time. This one is made to be played loud on a Saturday night. Get a copy, invite your friends over and let Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials provide the musical soundtrack for a rockin' good time !!!

Midnight Blues reviewed by Mark Thompson

Midnight Blues

Magic Slim & the Teardrops
Blind Pig Records
www.blindpigrecords.com

13 tracks/47:21

There has been a trend in the music business to inundate an artist with a stable of guest stars in an effort to make the latest recording appealing to a wider range of listeners. These attempts often bury the host beneath the caterwauling of ill-suited guests that have little common musically. When the artist has their own deeply entrenched signature style, it can impossible for all of the elements to come together in a coherent package.

Magic Slim has been a champion of the hard-driving, westside of Chicago sound for over three decades. Once you become familiar with it, his muscular guitar-driven style is instantly recognizable. His new recording features a number of guest musicians but the folks at Blind Pig made some very smart choices, adding other Chicago blues musicians who share the same roots as Slim. Their contributions augment the Teardrops sound with detracting from it. And they leave all of the singing for Slim. The end result is one of Slim's best recordings.

The disc opens with one of the Magicman's original tunes, "Let Me Love You". Slim belts out the vocal with his dark, gruff voice that rides over a surging rhythm from Danny O'Connor on bass and David Simms on drums with Jon McDonald also on guitar. Slim's guitar spits out taut guitar lines that cut like a knife. The next track adds James Cotton on harmonica on the Muddy Water's classic " You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had". I can't remember ever hearing Slim playing with a harmonica. But Cotton fits right in, filling in around Slim's vocal before he lays down a solo that proves that age has yet to rob Cotton of his talent.

Lil" Ed Williams joins the proceedings on "Give Me Back My Wig", his slide guitar giving the band an even tougher sound than usual. "Spider in My Stew" has Lonnie Brooks adding his guitar to the mix while Elvin Bishop raises the energy level on another Slim original, "Cryin' Won't Let You Stay". And the horn section added to the closing track, "Loving You is the Best Thing That Happened to Me", sounds so natural that you might think that Slim has always used them. Otis Clay adds backing vocals on this cut

The rest of disc leaves it to Slim and the Teardrops to do what they do best. They slow the pace a bit on a couple of tracks, giving Magic Slim a chance to demonstrate that his limited range doesn't keep him from delivering a stirring vocal. The Teardrops play as ensemble, their tight sound honed by many a night on stage. Slim's sound has not changed over the years, which is a blessing since there are precious few blues musicians playing his kind of propulsive, unadorned blues. Magic Slim has long been one of my favorite blues artists and his latest set proves that he still at the top of his game.

Treat Me Right reviewed by Mark Thompson

Treat Me Right

Robin Rogers
Blind Pig Records
www.blindpigrecords.com

11 tracks/41:34

This is Robin Rogers first release on a major record label. She has had some success with prior independent releases and has achieved some recognition in the blues community for her work, including a "Best Self-Produced CD" award from the Blues Foundation in 2005.

This effort features her powerful, brassy voice over the standard band set-up of bass, drums and keyboards plus a horn section comprised of Jon Thornton on trumpet and Tony Hayes on saxes and flute. Husband Tony Rogers handles the guitar parts and helped Robin write seven of the tracks.
Originals like "Can You Hear Me Now" provide the opportunity for Robin to display her impressive vocal abilities. She has a husky tone but can easily glide from a deep growl to the upper end of the scale. "Promised Land" is a gospel workout alternating handclaps with the horn section in support another quality vocal from Rogers. She turns the heat down on "Nobody Stays" but her vocal still almost overpowers the late-night jazz feel of the performance. Using a dobro, a march beat and some somber harmonica from Robin, the group captures the haunting emotions of "Color-Blind Angel", a tribute to Viola Liuzzo who was a civil rights worker murdered in 1965. Musically compelling, the track loses some of the impact when Rogers sings lines like ".. the 3 K's took you out."

Rogers shows good taste in the songs she decided to cover. A lesser-known B.B. King number, "Treat Me Right" opens the disc with a booming vocal from Rogers and a smooth sax solo from Hayes. One of the best cuts is "Ain't No Use", from the pen of Rudy Stevenson. Robin's voice glides through the changes, going from a whisper to a near-scream without a hint of strain.

The sound quality on the disc is quite good but a bit too clean for my taste. Rogers has the vocal chops to handle some rough edges if given the opportunity. She is undoubtedly one of those musicians that is best experienced live. This release establishes her as someone worth paying attention to and should introduce her to a wider audience.

Daylight at Midnight reviewed by Mark Thompson

Daylight at Midnight

Travis "Moonchild" Haddix

Earwig Records
www.earwigmusic.com
10 tracks/39:22

Haddix is not a household name despite the fact that he has thirteen recordings to his name. The Mississippi native will soon be 70 years old but you would never guess it when you hear his latest effort. As the lead singer, songwriter and handling the guitar solos, the focus is squarely on Haddix's shoulders and he is up to the challenge.

Time has weathered Haddix voice, darkening the tone and giving it a rough-around-the edges quality without sapping its strength. It is perfectly suited for slow blues tunes like "Backward Baby," which finds Travis taking a humorous perspective on the breakup of a relationship. When the band breaks into a funky strut on "You Kind of Fool," Haddix voice swells with righteous indignation.

Most of the tracks have a medium tempo groove. The backing band is more than adequate and includes a four piece horn section. Haddix can still coax plenty of fine sounds out of his guitar, whether it's bending a note for all it's worth or laying down fast single-note runs that rival guitarists half his age.

Haddix melds elements of soul with blues and ends up with a sound that may not be original but is definitely worth checking out. As Haddix quotes in the notes, " I am the best I can be -- and since no one else can be me, there's none better."