Clean Getaway reviewed by Mark Thompson

Clean Getaway
Curtis Salgado
Shanachie Ent. Corp.
www.shanachie.com
12 tracks/50:15

Curtis Salgado has a story to tell, one that includes a liver cancer diagnosis and mere months to live unless he had a liver transplant. Thanks to the efforts of musicians like Taj Mahal, Bonnie Raitt and Robert Cray as well as a legion of friends from around the world, close to half a million dollars was raised to cover the cost of the successful surgery. Now the singer who inspired John Belushi to form the Blues Brothers Band celebrates his medical miracle with a rousing new release that clearly proves the extent of Salgado’s talents.

Back by the Phantom Blues Band, Curtis explores the roots of American music, proving to be adept at down-in-the-alley blues. He funks it up on the title track, a tribute to Johnny “Guitar” Watson, his vocal soaring over the horns and deep bass groove. Another original, “20 Years of B.B. King”, features a lyrical narrative formed from the titles of various King songs, with a chorus that states “ I’ve learned more about the blues in two weeks from you, than 20 years of B.B. King.” Salgado’s performance is so compelling that you quickly ignore the novelty factor of the tune. The band cuts loose on “What’s Up With That” and “I Don’t Want to Discuss It” but Salgado shows that his voice has retained the power and gritty edge necessary to match the raging ensemble.

Curtis is even more impressive when he delves into deep soul music. Not many singers have the nerve to cover one of Al Green’s classic tunes but Salgado takes on “Let’s Get Married”. He sings with a deeper tone than Green and turns in a performance that comes close to the original without simply copying it. Equally fine is the Hi Records feel on “Drivin’ in the Drivin’ Rain” with Salgado’s vocal pleading with a growing intensity. Further proof of his talent is delivered on “Who’s Lovin’ You” as Salgado’s voice swoops and soars with ease as he tells this tale of emotional heartbreak. “Alone” is a smooth soul ballad with another magnificent vocal performance from Salgado as well as a taste of his harmonica playing.
Surrounded by a bevy of world-class musicians and twelve outstanding tunes, Curtis Salgado turns in the best recording of his career. The passion and joy he pours into each track overshadows everything going on around him. Based on this disc, Salgado deserves to be placed in the top tier ranking of blues/soul singers. Highly recommended - not to be missed !!!!

Visions reviewed by Mark Thompson

Visions
Hans Theessink & Terry Evans
Blue Groove
www.terryevansmusic.com
www.theessink.com
13 tracks/54:33

This release features two veteran musicians on a collection of classic tunes and a handful of originals. They share the vocal leads and their guitars provide most of the musical accompaniment. Phil Bloch adds percussion on eight tracks while Richard Thompson adds his electric guitar on two songs.

Theessink (pronounced Tay-sink) has been playing the blues for more than 40 years across the European continent, establishing himself as a first-rate guitarist in the country blues style. His powerful baritone voice easily conveys the resignation and despair in the song lyrics, especially on “Dark End of the Street”.

Terry Evans used to sing back-up for Ry Cooder before starting his solo career. His supple voice can range from tenor to bass with the gritty edge of the best soul singers or the fervent passion of the lead singer in the gospel choir. Evans has a fluid guitar style that forms the center of many of the arrangements.

Tracks like “Going Back Home” and “Glory of Love” feature Theesink’s expert guitar picking and booming vocals that command attention. The duo turns in a refreshing version of “Talk to Your Daughter”, the two guitars propelling the track along. Evans tears into another warhorse, “Don’t Let the Green Grass Fool You”, his energetic vocal riding the steady rhythm from the guitars. Even better is the closing track, “Come to the River”, an Evan’s original. He takes listeners to church with a stirring performance that builds in intensity, urged on by Theessink’s backing vocal and acoustic slide guitar. “Let the Four Winds Blow” features Thompson’s lead guitar dancing around the vocal lines.

Visions is a superbly crafted project that allows the combined talent of Theessink and Evans to shine throughout the recording. Using the simple guitar & vocal format, they manage to inject life into every track, even the well-worn classics. Be sure to give this compelling gem a serious listen.

Love Me Tonight reviewed by Mark Thompson

Love Me Tonight
John Nemeth
Blind Pig Records
http://www.blindpigrecords.com/
11 tracks/44:55

John Nemeth has received plenty of kudos from reviewers for his first Blind Pig release, Magic Touch. As a singer, songwriter and harp player, Nemeth used that disc to introduce his impressive skills and talent to the world . At the Blues Blast Music Awards last December sponsored by the Illinoisblues.com website, Nemeth was named the winner of the Sean Costello Rising Star Award and Magic Touch won the Best New Artist Debut Recording award. What was even more impressive that evening was the large contingent of fans that flew in from the west coast to show their support for Nemeth.

If you haven’t jumped on the Nemeth bandwagon yet, his latest release is guaranteed to convert into an enthusiastic fan. He delivers another strong batch of original material with only one cover. His musical support is top-notch. Bobby Welsh consistently delivers on guitar and keyboards. Elvin Bishop adds some star-power and his distinctive guitar licks to two tracks.

Nemeth’s voice is an impressive instrument, capable of handling hard-edge, gritty blues like “Just Like You” or “Daughter of the Devil” On the latter selection, his distorted vocal seems to be shouting from the graveyard over the ominous beat laid down by the band. “Country Boy” showcases some of Nemeth’s stellar harmonica licks before he turns things over to Bishop for a fiery solo. He breaks out his chromatic harp on “Where You Been”, a tough shuffle that ends too quickly.

But the real joy in listening to Nemeth is hearing his voice take flight on the more soulful cuts. There isn’t a note that is out of reach, his voice soaring without strain. Listen to how his gorgeous tone injects life into every syllable of the lyrics on “My Troubled Mind”. The lone non-original, “She’s My Hearts Desire”, authentically recreates the old doo-wop vocal sound and Welsh contributes a tremolo-laced guitar tone that pays tribute to the late Robert Ward. “Fuel For Your Fire” provides Nemeth with another opportunity to showcase his incredible vocal range.

The disc closes with a tour-de-force rendition of the slow blues “Blues in My Heart”. Nemeth channels the vocal style of Buddy Guy - circa late 1960’s , his tones wracked with emotional fervor, pleading for relief. Welsh contributes some biting guitar work as well as laying down some thick organ licks that really bring a spark to the performance. Not to be outdone, Nemeth once again dazzles with some killer work on the harmonica.
Sometimes a record company ‘s publicity department with promote an up-and-coming artist as the next big thing. Often reality sets in and proves the pen is mightier than the performer. John Nemeth has quickly validated all of the attention, awards and press he has received through his live shows and with this amazing release. You will marvel at the stunning quality of his performances throughout Love Me Tonight. This recording deserves to be at the top of blues charts. Highly recommended !!!

25 Years of Chicago Blues Piano Vol. 4 reviewed by Steve Jones

25 Years of Chicago Blues Piano Vol. 4
Barrelhouse Chuck
The Sirens Records
http://cdbaby/cd/barrelhousechuck7
http://www.barrelhousechuck.com
15 tracks/

This is Barrelhouse Chuck’s fourth volume of 25 years of music that he has appeared in around the city with a veritable host of blues greats. This volume is live with the Blue Lights Band. Live music, recorded off of good, bad and indifferent clubs’ sound systems, with and without crowd sounds; the songs each give us a feel and grit that is the blues scent that Chuck has lived and recorded for posterity to enjoy. Basically, what we have here are five sets of artists (plus or minus a body here or there) with some mean and evil performances recorded live at clubs around Chi town to make up this CD.
The album opens with Wild Child Butler doing the intro and talking to the crowd about what the blues really are. He then announces that the first number is “Chicago Bound.” As it turns out, Jimmy Rogers leads Chuck, Hip Linkchain, Steve Arvey and Ted Harvey through that song as the first tune on the CD. It’s a great opening for some even better performances!

Johnny B. Moore plays lead guitar and sings on the next track and also appears on several others. The sound on these tracks is really greasy and dirty, what Chicago blues sounds like at its’ late night best. Those tracks are “Straight from the Shoulder’, “Ain’t Superstitious” and “On My Way to Memphis”. Along with Johnny and Chuck are Willie Kent, John Tanner, and Tim Taylor are the band. The same guys (along with Willie D avis on guitar) back up Bonnie Lee on “Sad and Evil Woman” and “Looking for a Goldmine”.

Robert Hunter sings and plays the horn on Little Richard’s “Tutti Fruity”. A distorted set of vocals only sells the live song’s appeal even more. It sounds authentic to its’ roots, an old, little West or South Side club with an overdriven PA being stressed to the max with some high energy music behind it. Sylvester Newton, Jack Cook, John Tanner and Leslie Milton join Chuck and Hunter on this one and another tune by Little Richard, “Lucille”. Hunters screams offer a god cover of the original while Chucks keys ring true.

Billy Flynn delivers some mean guitar in the slow blues instrumental “I Wonder Why”. Flynn, Chuck, Kent, Tanner and Taylor also appear on “West Side Baby”, “Willies Boogy” and also on the bonus track, Willie Kent’s “Mamma Told Me”. S.P. Leary replaces Tim Taylor on the skins on that one. All these tracks are hot stuff.
The last assemblage of blues greats features Hip Linkchain on guitar and Frank Bandy on bass with Chuck. One track is the James Cotton instrumental “Lightnin’” with Little Joe Benson delivering some mean harp and Leary on drums. The other is “Suzie Q”, featuring Huckleberry Hound on drums, Rich Kirch also on guitar and Hip’s vocals. Great music again.

I have but one complaint with the CD. I’d love to know where and when the tracks were recorded. The liner notes give us the artists but not any other information. Aside from that tiny flaw that can be easily fixed, this is a nice set of tunes that will get the listener into the mood and sound of the real deal of what the blues scene sounded like 30 odd years ago.

Thanks go out to Chuck for preserving this music from many of the greats of Chicago’s blues who unfortunately have left us. If you like your blues served up on a plate of grease and grime, this is a CD you need to add to your collection.

Gulf Coast Highway reviewed by Steve Jones

Gulf Coast Highway
Eric Lindell
Alligator Records
http://www.ericlindell.com/
http://www.alligator.com/
15 tracks

I first listened to this CD on a Sunday morning. It was quite early, and I had just gone to a hockey game the night before, so the sport was still on my mind. As the CDs first track opened up, it immediately got me thinking about partying. I quipped to myself, “I went to a party and an Eric Lindell concert broke out,” and it hit me; I’ve bent the joking phrase, “I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out,” around, but it fits so nicely. Seeing Eric live or even listening to him on a CD makes you feel like having you’re having a party.

I first met up with Eric in 2005 at One Eyed Jacks in the New Orleans’ French Quarter. His first CD for Alligator had just been released and I was reviewing it for our newsletter and loved it, so I made my way to the late Sunday night show at One Eyed Jacks. On break I briefly chatted with Lindell and found him to be quite the laid back guy, just like the music he plays. I’ve met up with Eric a few more times since then and I’ve enjoyed his work immensely. This latest CD is an extension of a great body of work that this young guy is developing.

The fusion of Southern California and New Orleans is what Lindell sells so well. The surfer boy goes cajun flavors of his music are just prime. Gracing the cover and insert are pictures of his tricked out 1965 Chevy panel truck, and his surfboard.

Twelve originals and three great covers are featured. “It’s a Drag” is a rocking number that is quite the track, and it is followed up by an equally impressive slow and sexy cut “Lullaby for Mercy Ann.” I’d have to say these were probably my favorites of the strong new tunes. The country covers are equally interesting. Waylon’s and Willie’s “I Can Get Off On You,” Delberts’ “Here Come the Blues Again”, and Buck’s “Crying Time” all get “swampified” by Eric and his crew. The CD closes with some great guitar licks between Lindell and Chris Mule and some hot Jimmy Carpenter sax work on the instrumental “Raw Doggin’.”

An added treat is the addition of Jimmy Carpenter’s and Derek Huston’s saxes and Marc Adam’s B3 organ and piano on each track. The lushness of the orchestration of Lindells’ swamp popping boogie has improved album to album, and this new effort is the best yet. Kudos to Eric and the folks at Alligator for their efforts making a great sounding CD. While this is certainly not mainstream blues, the future is somewhat secure with guys like Eric and his band mates running around!

Havin’ The Last Word reviewed by Steve Jones

Havin’ The Last Word
Saffire the Uppity Blues Women
Alligator Records
http://www.uppityblueswomen.com/
www.alligator.com
16 tracks

Can this really be the end of Saffire? Are the ladies really hanging it up? The gals and record label have touted this as their last studio CD, and if it is so I am saddened as is the Blues world in general.

Saffire has been around for a quarter of a century now. Founded in 1984, the band originally formed when Anne and Gaye hooked up in Virginia and performed as a duo. Ann was teaching Computer Science because music did not put bread on the table. Earline Lewis was her student one semester and missed an exam when her father passed away. Ann administered a make-up exam at Earlene’s home. Earlene was a bass player and Anne saw that Earlene had a piano for her to play (remember that Anne only started to learn piano at 35) when she brought the exam to Lewis’ home. Ann and Gaye practiced at Earlene’s home, Earlene joined in the fray with her bass and that pretty much started them on their way as a trio. Earlene left the band in 1991 and it was back to duo status. It was time to release another record in 1992 and Andra Faye was asked to come into the studio to help record the new CD “Broadcasting”. She fit right in and has been with Saffire ever since. The band is currently on their final tour, promoting this new CD.

This CD is a natural extension of Saffire’s music. All of their stuff is blues; some of it is full of humorous blue double entendres while other songs focus on biting issues and life’s conditions. This CD is full of the types of songs that have marked their success , yet they are not tired nor repetitive. They showcase the bands’ continued ability to be on target, whether funny or poignant, sensitive or risqué. The ladies give us sixteen strong cuts here; they are leaving us as a group while at the peak of their game.

The CD begins with the ladies swapping off on vocals and instrumental solos on the upbeat “I’m Going Down to the River,” a song about individual spiritual cleansing and renewal. This hearkens to the time after the band is no more, where “everything will be all right.”

Double entendres abound in “Kitchen Man,” where Ann ribaldly sings about lovin’ her kitchen man’s frankfurter and sausage meat. Gaye’s “Bald Eagle” laments that her purty little poodle dog and purty little silver beaver died, but that she has a new pet– a bald eagle; just wait ‘til it spread’s it’s wings! “Too Much Butt” features Andra singing about, well, I think it’s obvious. The gals show us that their keen sense of humor is thankfully as inappropriate as ever!
Beating cancer is the topic of “Bald Headed Blues,” where Gaye blasts out a great tune about beating cancer and the effects of chemo therapy. “I’d rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I’m not” is the theme of “Nothin’ in Your House,” another great Agdebalola cut that talks about not judging others.

“Somebody’s Gotta Give” and “Blue Lullaby” feature Andra at two ends of the vocal spectrum. The former is more upbeat while singing about relationship issues, while the latter is a slow, harmonious, bluesy lullaby, hearkening to the songs of Loretta Lynne and Patsy Cline.

“Travellin’ at the Speed of Love” and “Haste Makes Waste” feature Ann at her barrelhouse piano and sultry vocal best. She is really the queen of this style of music!

The CD closes with Deanna Bogarts’ “I’m Growing Older” and then Ann’s “Bad Times.” Andra delivers the goods on Bogarts’ quasi-humorous tune about aging; she’s just “fine getting old.” Ann them finishes with an original number about the struggles and bad times the women have been through and how they overcame them all. It is a sad testament to their breaking up and going separate ways. Rather than close the review with more thoughts on this, I offer the lyrics from the chorus of this song:
"Bad times make the good times better,
Bad times make our love grow strong.
If we can keep on holdin’ on together
Good times will be here before long."

Black John reviewed by Steve Jones

Black John
The Soul of John Black
Electro Groove Records
www.thesoulofjohnblack.com
www.electrogroove.com
12 tracks

Funk, country and blues are married expertly by producer and former Fishbone/Miles Davis axe-man John Bigham (aka John Black or Black John) on this superb CD from Randy Chortkoff and the folks at Electro Groove Records. Bigham calls this country-funk; I call it some really hot music. The band member’s bios read like the recording industry Hall of Fame and they do a great job together. It’s hard to call CD’s like this “blues” because they are far from the traditional and contain other styles of music. But it an exceptional piece of work that blues and funk fans will both love. Even the advertising material is cool; it’s all retro-ed out, blacksploitaion movie-styled stuff.

Comparisons of the title track and the traditional “Stagger Lee” have already been made by far more famed reviewers than I. Suffice it to say that this song opening the album sets the stage for a great ride through 12 tracks that display the talents of this exceptional artist.

Bigham’s guitar and vocals grunt and groan through funky tracks like “White Dress”. I think he’s at his best the funkier he gets. In the single “Betty Jane”, Bigham commemorates and lusts after Miles Davis’ wife (who was a singer in her own right). “Last Forever” mixes acoustic blues and full blown funk in quite the interesting way. The song shifting from acoustic guitar to electric and then a full blown production is pretty cool. It’s like a four and a half minute history lesson from the Delta to today’s streets of LA.

But even when the funk is dialed down and goes more towards a straight up soul sound, John delivers. The final cut “Thinking About You” is just Bigham and acoustic guitar, but it is equally as powerful as the bigger production pieces.

I loved this CD. Soul, funk and blues delivered with a little country flavor. I think Bigham and the folks at Electro Groove have a real winner here!