Tell Me What You Say reviewed by Steve Jones

Tell Me What You Say
Fruteland Jackson
Electro-Fi Records
http://www.electrofi.com/
11 Tracks/52:32

Fruteland Jackson is a long-standing friend of our Crossroads Blues Society. He has done many Blues In the Schools programs in the Rockford area and thousands of students and adults in our area have benefited from his programs. Frutelands’ music and blues education along with his talent have been something we have grown to appreciate and savor over the years.
His newest album on Electro-Fi Records features some great new songs and covers, ranging I topics from the sentimental to the hard hitting. From “Happy Birthday Blues” and “You Are My Sunshine” to “Blues Over Baghdad,” we have Fruteland running the gamut of emotions/ He is equally adept at fretting over birthdays (a recurring theme in his music) and covering traditional songs in new ways to lamenting over the war in Iraq. “War is not for those who are right, but for those who are left” is the profound closure to the latter song. He poignantly expresses his feelings over the war as no one else can.
In “The I.R.S.” he has blues over a tax audit, something we can all appreciate especially during our annual tax season. His new songs often describe the blues in the form current topics.
Fruteland’s approach to the blues is traditional yet he always makes his music sound fresh. The sonorous tenor voice with its’ wavering vibrato make any of his songs a joy to listen to. His vocals strongly evoke the sadness of the blues comes out in tunes like “My Baby Left Me All Alone in E Minor.” On the other end of the spectrum of emotion, he brings in the excitement a gambler experiences in “A Gambler’s View.”
Although Fruteland may not take kindly to his middle age, we sense a maturity in his work that evolves from where he is in his life. Frutelands’ newest CD is a great effort and it is worth more than one listen. If acoustic blues is your bag, then this is a CD for you.

Painkiller reviewed by Steve Jones

Painkiller
Tommy Castro
Blind Pig Records
http://www.tommycastro.com/
11 tracks/42:51

Tommy Castro is a soul rocker. Plain and simple. He approaches the blues from the rocking edge of soul, and his newest CD “Painkiller” continues in that vein and takes him to new levels of excellence.
The opening song’s initial riffs of “Love Don’t Care” wind you up, and get you to the top of the Castro roller coaster and then it’s non-stop rocking. “I’m Not Broken” is next and it’s off to the races. I think my favorite track is a bouncy number with a lot of horns called “Big Sister’s Radio.” It’s the story of how the tiny, tinny little transistor radio pulled in music from all over and exposed a generation to great music back in the late 50’s and the 60’s. It was not the big fancy stereo that people learned from but the little transistor radio in the evening, pulling in the AM radio waves from hundreds and sometimes thousands of miles away. Having my own little transistor radio in my youth, this song brings back fond memories of searching for and finding some great tunes across the dial. It was so cool to find all the big radio DJs dishing out the platters. I almost feel for today’s MP3/Ipod generation; the download is pretty cool and amazing but I don’t think it compares to finding someone blasting out 50,000 watts of AM power with some rock-a-billy or soul tune playing. But I digress…
Castro struts his stuff and his fans will love this album. I think it surpasses most if not all of his CDs in song quality and performance. He’s got some great new material and the horn section just blows you away.
Tommy has a superb supporting cast on this album. In addition to his band mates of Randy McDonald (bass), Keith Crossan (sax) and Chris Sandoval (drums) there are also a lot of great supporting musicians who appear. Angeli Stehli provides exceptional support on vocals in the ballad “If You Believe (In What You Do),” one of only three slower songs on the CD. Coco Montoyo’s guitar and vocals blaze in a duet along with Castro on the hottest number on the CD “A Good Fool is Hard to Find.”
Castro is a hugely talented singer and guitar player who I think has often let his material hold him back in the past. This CD matches his talent with some great tunes, both new and reworked. Not only that, it melds all of this with his soul. rock and blues style into a wonderful CD with a set of tunes you can’t find fault with. I enjoyed this CD immensely and I think you will, too!

Morning Sun reviewed by Mark Thompson

Morning Sun
Diana Braithwaite & Chris Whiteley
Electro-Fi Records
http://www.electrofi.com/
13 tracks/40:47

Here is a sparkling little gem of a release – all acoustic with original material throughout.Braithwaite is a vocalist with an extensive resume that includes time in Chicago. Whiteley is a multi-instrumentalist and singer from Canada who has played with legends like Blind John Davis and Lonnie Johnson. Each contributes five songs to the project and they co-wrote the other three tunes.
For inspiration, the duo looked to the records from Bluebird Records from the 1930’s and 40’s. The opening track, “Cold and Lonely Night”, has the pair trading the vocal with Whiteley on acoustic guitar laying down a steady groove with help from Al Cross, who uses brushes on the drums. On “Birds That Whistle”, Whiteley uses a National steel guitar to demonstrate his proficiency on slide guitar. Braithwaite's vocal range gets showcased on this track. Her voice has a lighter tone then the typical female singers belting out blues with deep, dark voices. But she doesn't have any trouble conveying the pain in her original piece, "No Longer Will I Roam". Whiteley adds some great, down-home harp playing in addition to his fine guitar work.
Another highlight is "Box Car Blues", a humorous look at the trials and tribulations of several shady characters in their quest to get right with the world. The track gets the full-band treatment with Whiteley blowin' a cornet while his brother, Jesse, adds his piano and Drew Jurecka contributes alto saxophone. This performance sounds like it was cut in New Orleans when Louis Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton were kings. Whiteley gives his harp a workout on the country blues track "In My Garden". Through the magic of over-dubbing, he can also be heard on this cut on guitar, lead vocal and laying down a solid rhythm on the spoons!
The disc closes with the title track, a gentle folk-blues tune. Whiteley picks the melody on an acoustic guitar as Braithwaite's strong vocal hints at some gospel influences. It is a fitting end to a recording that is a refreshing change of pace from the seemingly endless onslaught of amped-up electric blues. Diana Braithwaite and Chris Whiteley obviously have a plenty of passion for the music of days gone by. But instead of simply recording their favorite old songs, they have taken the time to compose their own songs that capture the spirit of the by-gone era and then bring them to life with their spirited performances. This one is recommended for discriminating listeners.

Edenton reviewed by Mark Thomspon

Edenton
Kemp Harris
Righteous Mischief, LLC
http://www.kempmusic.com/
11 tracks/ 39:47


This is the second recording by Kemp Harris, a name I was not familiar with prior to receiving this disc. He is primarily a singer who also plays some piano. Harris wrote three of the tracks and had a hand in composing four other cuts. He covers tunes by Memphis Slim, Willie Nelson and Donny Hathaway/Leroy Hutson. The Holmes Brothers contribute backing vocals on three tracks.
Harris works in the territory where blues and gospel music intersect. The lyrics cover faith and religious themes while the music sometimes settles into a blues rhythm that would be right at home at any club on a Saturday night. At other times, Harris displays a high level of originality that shapes the music into exciting performances that demand your attention. Listen to his acappella version of the traditional gospel hymn “Didn’t It Rain”. Harris’s voice is up to the task of laying out the spirited lead vocal. He is joined by his mother and aunt on backing vocals that are strong enough to make you forget that both are close to 80 years young.
That song is followed by a cover of “Mother Earth”, featuring a big beat and some wicked slide guitar from Josh Stoltzfus. “Miles Between Us” is a smoldering slow blues examining the end of a relationship. Harris belts out the vocal on the first one, then goes deep inside for the intensity needed to make the second track come to life. He holds his own vocally on “Sweet Weepin Jesus” and “Day After Day”, not at all intimidated by the presence of the Holmes Brothers.
Accompanied by a lone acoustic bass on Nelson’s classic “Nightlife”, Harris is free to let loose with a powerful vocal performance that manages to capture the tune’s loneliness and regret before he starts to testify in the style of the best soul singers. The title track finds Harris on piano for a song that explores racial tension in his hometown.
Kemp Harris has a unique musical vision that takes you to some of the dark corners of life before lifting you up with the spirit of redemption that comes from faith. He has crafted a disc that can be challenging, offering many rewards to those willing to take the time to give this work some serious listening time.

Magic Touch reviewed by Mark Thomspon

Magic Touch
John Nemeth
Blind Pig Records
http://www.blindpigrecords.com/
12 tracks/44:27

This is Nemeth’s debut recording and you can tell from the line-up of heavyweights backing him on the disc that he has talent. Anson Funderburgh handles the role of producer and adds his guitar to one track. The rest of the time, Junior Watson does his usual stellar job of providing killer guitar licks. Ronnie James Webber from the Fabulous T-Birds adds bass and the three-piece horn section includes Mark Kazinoff on sax.
Nemeth handles the vocals and adds harmonica to several tracks.
The disc opens with “Blues Hit the Big Town”, featuring a tough groove highlighted by Nemeth’s use of the upper register on his harp. The following track, “Blue Broadway”, ventures into the world of Soul music. Nemeth has a voice really suited for this type of material. He easily slides from a husky mid-range to a pleading vocal at the high end of the scale. His cover of “She’s Looking Good” comes close to capturing the excitement of Wilson’s Pickett’s rendition of the song.
The disc offers equal helpings of blues and soul with Nemeth’s vocal range able to handle the demands of both. He slows the pace and goes deep down in the alley on “Sit & Cry the Blues”, punctuated by Watson’s guitar and a closing solo from Kazinoff’s sax. On the title track, Nemeth whoops and hollers over a blasting horn section before John Calhoun Street finishes the track off with a rousing piano solo.
This is a very strong recording throughout, an impressive achievement for a first release. Nemeth has the vocal chops to handle a variety of material, which allows him to mix soul and blues influences into a compelling collection that is fresh and exciting. Add the contributions of Junior Watson to the mix and you have a disc that will bear repeated listens.

Wish I Had You reviewed by Mark Thompson

Wish I Had You

The Rounders

Blind Pig Records

http://www.blindpigrecords.com/

13 tracks/53:33

Hailing from Okalahoma City, the Rounders are a five-man band with their first major label recording after two self-released discs. They feature a twin guitar attack from Ryan Taylor and Michael Stone with Dave Spindle on bass and Stuart Williamson on drums. Brian Whitten handles the lead vocals.
The disc opens with a surging boogie rhythm supporting Whitten’s baritone voice on “God Knows I’m Trying”. The band is able to create a sound quite close to that of the Mississippi hill country popularized by the late R. L. Burnside and kept alive by his extended musical family. The Rounders prove it is no fluke by laying down another strong performance on the title track. They are able to capture the feel of the old blues masters while updating the sound for a new generation of listeners raised on rock and hip hop.

Musically , the disc will grab your attention and not let go. Taylor wrote eleven of the tracks and had a hand in writing the other two. You won’t hear any self-indulgent displays of instrumental virtuosity. Instead, the band takes full advantage of the strong melodies Taylor provided . His music isn’t fancy, featuring basic blues progressions in inventive settings. The band focuses on the rhythmic groove and rides it for all it’s worth.
As dynamic as the music is throughout the disc, Taylor needs to do some wood shedding on writing lyrics. Several tracks have a few phrases repeated numerous times, which makes it difficult to paint any kind of compelling verbal picture. Whitten makes a valiant effort to add weight to the writing through his vocals but a couple songs, like “Wait For Me” or “Leave My Trunk Behind“, don’t give him much to work with. Still, the Rounders are able to overcome simplified lyrics by playing the hell out of Taylor’s arrangements.
When everything comes together, the Rounders rock hard. Check out “Let Me Talk at You”. Whitten turns in his best effort as his booming vocal rides on top of the guitar power chords over a pumping bass line and a driving big beat from Williamson. Another highlight is “It Wasn’t My Baby” which finds the band exploring Chicago-style blues on a track that sports a memorable guitar riff.
The Rounders clearly have a lot to offer. They have managed to preserve and update the Blues tradition in the same package. Wish I Had You goes beyond promise to deliver an exciting package of inventive music. When the band figures out how to write lyrics on a par with Taylor’s music, these guys will be really dangerous.

Blues Guitar Women reviewed by Mark Thompson

Blues Guitar Women
Various Artists
Ruf Records
http://www.rufrecords.de/
Disc 1 – 15 tracks/67:20
Disc 2 – 14 tracks/49:33

This collection has a number of things to offer to serious Blues fans. To start, it is divided into two discs: Contemporary and Traditional Blues Women. Together the 29 tracks show the universal appeal of Blues music. The musicians range in age from teenagers to ninety-plus years. One is from Canada (Sue Foley), another from Yugoslavia (Ana Popovic) and a third from that Blues hotspot, Finland (Erja Lyytinen)!!! Some are household names while others barely escaped obscurity.

Their styles cover the entire spectrum from the quiet elegance of Etta Baker’s Piedmont–style playing through the juke-joint for the Mississippi hill style of Jessie Mae Hemphill, moving on to the hard rockin’ contemporary style of a new group, the Lara Price Band featuring Laura Chavez on guitar. These ladies burn through a version of Buddy Guy’s “Can’t Quit the Blues” to open the first disc in fine style. Next comes Debbie Davies with plenty of always fine playing on the humorous “Takin’ it All to Vegas”. Another newcomer to the scene is Erja Lyytinen. She updates the Elmore James slide-guitar style on “Dreamland Blues”. If the rest of her forthcoming US release sounds this good, look out!!!!! Other highlights include veteran Barbara Lynn showing her considerable skills on the instrumental “Lynn’s Blues” and a duet by Maria Muldaur & Bonnie Raitt accompanied only by Raitt’s slide guitar. They take you to church with the gospel standard “It’s a Blessing”.

The second disc features mostly acoustic Blues with two artists associated with the Music Maker Relief Foundation starting it off. Precious Byrant offers a jaunty take on “Fool Me Good” while Algia Mae Hinton proves she has not lost her ability to sing or pick the guitar at seventy-plus years young. The real bonus on this disc is the last four tracks. The closing number comes from Memphis Minnie, one of the first Blues women to achieve fame through her recordings. It is said that Minnie could play as well as any man in addition to belting out impassioned vocals, as you hear on “In My Girlish Days”.

The other three cuts are from Mattie Delaney, Elvie Thomas and Geechie Wiley. If these names aren’t familiar, don’t worry about it. Each woman recorded several songs and then disappeared into history. Nothing is known about them except for the records they made. I was particularly excited to hear Wiley again. I had heard another track by her several years ago that was outstanding. She starts “Skinny Legs Blues” with a booming guitar lick before singing about sex and death in a voice that still resonates with emotion.

The set includes a full-color booklet pictures and brief biographies of most of the women. Ruf has put together a strong package that runs the gamut of the Blues spectrum. The two discs contain a wealth of Blues that will appeal to the new fan or the veteran listener. Make sure to grab a copy of this one!!!!