Vicente Zumel's CD Reviews

April 2008 CD Review
Sleepy John Estes “On The Chicago Blues Scene”. Delmark 2007. The originality of this album lies on the fact that a deep south singer and guitar player like Sleepy John Estes was, came to Chicago to record an electrified blues album backed by some of the best musicians of that time (1968). They recorded thirteen songs, all them John’s own compositions. Estes sung and played second rhythm guitar while Sunnyland Slim was on piano, Jimmy Dawkins on soloist guitar, Carey Bell on harp and on bass in two songs, Earl Hooker was surprisingly on bass too in four tracks, Joe Harper played bass on the rest of songs and finally Odie Payne Jr. on drums. The album was originally entitled “Electric Sleep” and now comes out remastered and remixed which gives it a better quality. A particular album that gives us the opportunity to see how was Estes’ sound and music on a field that was not very favourable for him, as he used not to play on that style, although he finally was unbeaten and won the match on points. GREAT.
Johnny Rawls “Rockin’ In Rockland”. Deep South 2007 (CD+DVD). This album combines music in CD and DVD images on a seventy five minutes length. Singer, guitar player and song writer Johnny Rawls was born in the south of Mississippi. He began his musical career as backing musician in blues and soul bands along Gulf West Coast. At the end of the seventies he became member of O.V. Wright band and he finally leaded the band for about thirteen years. Then and for a long time, he started a productive relationship with JSP English label where he has recorded four albums and has produced some more for different artists. This new recording shows Johnny Rawls on his habitual musical style, that is to say, a cool tasteful but at the same time unaffected combination of rhythm and blues and southern soul, spiced with some very bluesy drops. VERY GOOD
Saturday Nite Fish Fry “Dirt Road Blues”. 7 Arts 2007. Excellent able group with a wide knowledge of the music they play, which could be defined as rhythm and blues and New Orleans blues with fifties jump and soul influences. Singer and piano player Bill King leads a nine members band, that includes tenor, alt and baritone sax and singer Shakura S’Aida who was honoured with American Real Blues Magazine awards as Best Soul Singer for the previous band release “Rhythm & Soul” that received Best Soul Recording Award too. This new recording shows a more mature and well teamed Saturday Nite Fish Fry than ever, with careful well done arrangements along thirteen tastefully selected tracks, five Bob Dylan’s songs, three Eddie Hinton’s ones, one Blind Willie Johnson’s song, another one from W. Harrison and two the band’s own songs. GREAT.
The Booglerizers “Ironbound Blues”. DAD 2007. Formal genuine roots blues comes from this original group of friends who really love roots blues, country blues and traditional folk acoustic music. To create the particular CD atmosphere of the songs included on the it, they have added a good number of strange rare instruments with such curious names like ‘clay udu, ‘rain cane’, ‘tom’, ‘egg’, ‘baritone uke’, ‘11/16 ratchet’, ‘washtub bass’, ‘t-bone with ambousire sauce’… Besides these sophisticated unusual instruments their sound basis can be found on guitars, harmonica, tuba, mandolin, piano, washboard, drums and, of course, voice. I dare say the CD deserves respect and consideration by blues lovers that will certainly be pleasantly surprised by their music originality, which has really impressed me. GREAT.
Varios Artistas “House Rockin’ And Blues Shoutin’!”. Blue Witch 2007. Rhythm Room club in Phoenix, Arizona is one of the most famous blues clubs of that area. To celebrate its fifteenth anniversary, his owner, harmonica player, producer, reviewer, DJ and real blues lover. Mr. Bob Corritore, has produced a cool lush album including a variety of high quality impressing musicians. Fourteen songs recorded live at the club between 1997 and 2006 on an amazing selection: The Fabulous Thunderbirds, The Mannish Boys with Finis Tasby, Long John Hunter, Floyd Dixon, Big Pete Pearson backed by the home band The Rhythm Room All-Stars where you will find Bob Corritore himself, Henry Gray and Kid Ramos, Sonny Rhodes, Paul Oscher, Chief Schabuttie Gilliame with Johnny Dyer, Robert Lockwood Jr. Louisiana Red and Billy Boy Arnold. An unbelievable album that captures the whole atmosphere and deep real feeling of blues. ESSENTIAL.
Dave Riley & Bob Corritore “Travellin’ The Dirt Road”. Blue Witch 2007. An album that brings us different Delta blues aspects with the personal vision of two experienced musicians and deep knowers of that musical style. They are singer and guitar player Dave Riley and harmonica player Bob Corritore which has also produced the CD. It’s title “Travellin’ The Dirt Road” says what you will find on ten ìntense songs full of the real emotional down-home blues passionate spirit. Riley was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi and grew up singing gospel before he moved to Chicago West Side when he was only a teenager. In the middle of the nineties he entered on Sam Carr’s, Frank Frost’s and John Weston’s bands. Few things can be said about Bob Corritore good fans do not already know. Only remind you he began to play harmonica when he was only thirteen years old and he learned it directly from Walter Horton, Junior Wells and other great harmonica players. His traditional playing have led him to share stage with the best ones, such as Jimmy Rogers, Willie Dixon, Honeyboy Edwards, Pinetop Perkins, Sammy Lay, Koko Taylor or Bo Diddley and play harp in more than twenty five recordings. We are facing to an unbeatable record that honestly reflects real Delta blues. ESSENTIAL.
Red Beans And Rice “Hot ‘N Spicy”. White Wolf 2007. When this savoury very special New Orleans dish becomes music, it keeps the same appetising attraction. Red Beans And Rice are an splendid Monterey, California settled band with Bishop Manfield on main vocals, Tamas Marius on tenor and alto sax, Gil Rubio on guitar, congas, organ and vocals, Tom Lawson on keyboards, accordions and vocals, Joe Vallaire on bass and Jamey de Maria on drums and percussion. This CD is their best one till now, because they show themselves as a convincing skilful band with a smooth mature sound. Gifted with an impressive swing in every song included on the CD, their musical arrangements are on a par with the best bands of that musical style. An hour of pure New Orleans rhythm and blues spiced with the most original West Coast blues and jump. A CD that deserves audience’s consideration and full respect. GREAT
Dave Taylor “Still Rockin’ In The Same Ol’ Way”. Midnight Rock 2000. Rock & roll, boogie-woogie, ballads, swing and good original jive, difficult to find nowadays, performed by one of the most charismatic British musicians of that genre. Dave Taylor is a good singer and a genuine piano player, who represents the classic fifties style, with more than thirty years of experience and a good number of records behind him. The CD includes twenty tracks where you will find own compositions together with, among others, Moon Mullican’s, Bobby Boulter’s or Lou Willie’s ones. Songs belong to different moments of Taylor’s life, from “Schooldays” –recorded in 1975- to the recent ones that come from 1999, all them performed on a convincing determined way thanks to the good work of a bunch of professional musicians who know what they are doing and how to get it. Dave Taylor is backed by a horn section including tenor, alto and baritone sax, trumpet and trombone, plus guitar, pedal steel, string arrangements, acoustic bass, drums and different instruments in some tracks such as flute, violin, viola, cello, accordion… and so on. A CD that should be taken into account. GREAT.
The Strange Tones “We’re On Our Way”. Meteor Sonic 2007. Definitely, these Portland, Oregon musicians, leaded by singer and guitar player Guitar Julie, confirm themselves as one of the most singular best pop-blues, garage rock-blues or alternative blues actual bands. The Strange Tones build up a colorful versatile musical speech, on a well structured songs where the prevailing arrangements come from guitar riffs, chorus and solos, that sometimes sound harsh and incisive and other times imaginative and hypnotic, but always cool and very original ones. CD songs are really interesting, spiced with ironical intelligent humoristic lyrics which will draw a smile on listeners face. Spaniards fans should also pay attention to “Mi Jefe Me Molesta”, an original song I feel identified with. Also mention Curtis Salgado’s voice and harmonica playing as guest musician on a couple of superb tracks. GREAT.
Little Willie Littlefield “Live”. Schubert 2006. A live recorded album from Albohm Restaurant in Heiligenhaus German town on April 20th. 2006, produced by his friend and manager Rolf Schubert. Little Willie Littlefield shows himself on top form and a surprising vitality. He oozes swing, blues and boogie-woogie in every single note of his piano playing and his relaxed blended voice gives character and personality to the sixteen songs included on the CD. Classic blues like “Kansas City”, “Everyday I have The Blues”, “Mona Lisa” or “Going Down Slow”, combine with other less knows songs to produce a joyful, nice, pleasant CD but, overall, vitalistic and very communicative, which are the principal traces of our likable Little Willie Littlefield’s music. GREAT.
Steve Burnside “Story Teller Of The Blues”. Prospect 2007. Definitely singer, songwriter and guitar player Steve Burnside is a first class story teller, pleasant and sometimes amusing and joyful, not only when he plays his own songs but also on the covers included on the CD. Steve expresses himself on a very imaginative witty way. He calmly describes daily life with a fine rich sense of humour, sometimes gloomy sometimes ironical but always true and honest. Musically speaking Burnside has also a rich effective style, deeply rooted on blues, soul and funky patterns and a faultless sound, partly thanks to the powerful musicians who back him. You will find The Marquis, an excellent bunch of professional performers who really know what they are playing and a high quality horn section, A Swift Kick In The Brass, who do flaming expressive arrangements which make Steve shine as one of the best actual Canadian blues artists. GREAT.
Lisa Haley “King Cake”. Blue Fiddle 2007. What can I say about this charming woman who plays violin, mandolin, viola, rubboard and sings like an angel you do not already know?… Like most of his previous records “King Cake” is a dancing joyful funny record. Once again Lisa gets us closer with her music to Louisiana Deep South on a journey that captures the essence of creole spirit, filling it with her blues, her waltz, her cajun and zydeco music, always bright and moving, we are used to hear along all her musical career. On this CD Lisa Haley has the priceless Keb’ Mo’ collaboration on harp, together with a bunch of great musicians who contribute to grow the quality of an interesting project called “King Cake”, the best and more complete piece of work of this excellent artist till now. GREAT.
Willie Salomon “Just In Time”. Acoustic Music 2007. Marvellous and excellent exercise of intense well done country blues. Willie Salomon brings his blues and rags with satisfaction and pride on a complete powerful record but, at the same time, full of sensitivity. You will find passion and devotion along the seventeen tracks included on that interesting album, quite similar to a Delta and Piedmont blues master-class. Salomon is a singer and guitar player that sometimes plays piano and harmonica and he does it with the true spirit of real honest bluesmen who deeply love twelve bar music. Willie only plays vintage Gibson and Resonator guitars that give the real unique sound you will find if you get a CD copy. Also many and different Muddy Waters, Reverend Gary Davis, Mississippi John Hurt, Robert Johnson, Louisiana Red or Furry Lewis references along the whole work of this fine blues stylist. GREAT.
James Harman “Side Dishes”. Gulfcoast 2007. A wonderful priceless James Harman’s mastery music compilation with thirteen excellent songs, previously included in some of his most emblematic records or singles. The tracks Harman has selected for this first series begin in 1981, like “(I Got) So Many Women” which was included on his album ‘This Band Just Won’t Behave’ to “Lonesome Moon Trance” belonging to the CD with the same title recorded in 2003. More than twenty two years of Harman’s musical career with songs that come from his single “Blue Vinyl” to albums like “Thank You Baby”, “Those Dangerous Gentlemen”, “Extra Napkins”, “Do Not Disturb”, “Two Sides Of Every Story”… and so on. You will also find some of his most outstanding colleagues of his long extensive career such as Buddy Clark, Paul Fasulo, Hollywood Fats, Stephen T. Hodges, Natham James, Fred Kaplan, Kid Ramos, Gene Taylor, Junior Watson…. Really impressing!! An unforgettable journey along the musical career of a singer, song writer and harmonica player with an enormous talent and personality but, overall, one of the most innovative musicians of the last thirty years. ESSENTIAL.
Paul Rishell & Annie Raines “Goin’ Home”. Tone Cool / Blind Raccoon 2004. Paul Rishell is a fifty seven years old singer and guitar player who was born in Brooklyn, NY., who has become a deep knower and experienced player of real deep blues. One of his friends introduced him to blues music and he began to listen to Robert Johnson, Charley Patton, Son House, Blind Lemon Jefferson and other outstanding country blues names, learning their technique but, overall, the real blues spirit of those old recordings. Annie Raines belongs to a younger generation. She discovered blues on the eighties when she was a high-school student. While her friends listened to Pink Floyd, she preferred to listed to Muddy Waters and specially to harmonica masters like James Cotton, Walter Horton, Little Walter and so on, which has made her become one of the best female harmonica players. This record establishes them as one of the duos with a bigger renown and quality on the blues field. Thirteen beautiful songs where acoustic and electric blues perfectly combine with an extreme good taste. GREAT.
Bobby Rush “Raw”. Deep Rush / Blind Raccoon 2007. Bobby Rush goes down into the deepest passionate blues on a true approach to the most sincere and honest down-home Mississippi style. For recording this cd, Bobby has only needed his voice, his acoustic guitar and his harp, plus Shawn Kellerman on dobro in three songs. Rush goes deeply into winding roads of his cultural heritage, with his own original songs where he talks about daily life problems, difficult situations between men and women, political remarks, his childhood or needs and poverty of Mississippi fields working people. Few Sonny Boy Williamson I and Muddy Waters songs complete an impressive record full of moments of high intensity performed with an extreme sensitivity, always giving the best of himself along the thirteen exceptional songs included on this amazing record entitled “Raw”. I must confess I have not heard for years an album like this one. ESSENTIAL.