August Reviews

Ivan Appelrouth, Blue & Instrumental (Ellersoul).  Brilliant set of guitar based instrumentals that draw on the styles of many a great guitar slinger, with swinging horns and a solid rhythm section.  –NAD 08/11

Brick Fields, Gospel Blue (self-published).  This Arkansas outfit features the husband and wife team of Rachel and Larry Brick, who wrote most of the songs.  The theme is religious, but the sound is a soft style of blues, with Rachel’s voice the dominating and captivating component.  My picks are On the Vine (1) and Talk about the Weather (5). –NAD 08/11

D'mar & Gill, Real Good Friend (Airtight).  Contemporary Mississippi acoustic blues.  I like the slick guitar work, and the smooth vocals, and the hand-drum percussion gives this a unique sound.  My pick for something familiar is My Babe (2), and for an original is Harmony Street (6). –NAD 08/11

The Jeff Golub Band featuring Henry Butler, The Three Kings (Entertainment One).  A tribute to BB, Freddie and Albert King, which captures the 70’s era in which at least 2 out of 3 kings were making hit records.  Mr. Golub’s guitar is the driving energy here, but Mr. Butler’s presence on the piano is just as critical to the sound. –NAD 07/11

Travis “Moonchild” Haddix, Old Man in Love (Benevolent Blues).  Tight and clever R&B infused blues from the Cleveland master.  Top picks include She Hit a Grand Slam (1), Stankin’ Thankin’ (3) and Break a Habit with a Habit (6). –NAD 08/11

Candye Kane, Sister Vagabond (Delta Groove). High energy belter brings home a set of infectious grooves that pull from jump blues, R&B and rockabilly.  My picks are Love Insurance (2),  Side Dish (8), and Down With the Blues (12). –NAD 08/11

Marquis Knox, Here I Am (APO).  Teen blues phenom returns even harder and stronger than the first time around.  Think Muddy in his Columbia years, but stripped down to the bare essentials.  My picks are  Tears Feel Like Rain (4), America’s Blues (6), and Can a Young Man Play the Blues (8). –NAD 08/11

John Mays, I Found A Love (Electro-fi).  Beautiful soul blues from a great voice.  For anyone who loved Little Milton or Bobby Bland. –NAD 07/11

Mighty Sam McClain / Knut Reiersrud, One Drop Is Plenty (Valley Entertainment). One of my favorite blues vocalists, who stays smooth even as he squeezes the last tear of emotion from a song.  The pairing with Mr. Reirsrud on guitar is inspired, as he layers on nuance on top of engaging riffs and melodies. –NAD 07/11

Quintus McCormick Blues Band, Put It On Me! (Delmark). Keeping the flame of 70’s soul blues burning, in the spirit of Stax and Atlantic, but with more than a measure of Chicago toughness stirred in to the mix. –NAD 07/11

Mighty Mojo Prophets, Mighty Mojo Prophets (Rip Cat).  This tight ensemble from Long Beach, CA, brings back memories of William Clarke and other latter-day West Coasters.  This is blues that swings.  My picks are Friday Night Phone Call (2) and Life is a Hurtin’ Thing (4).  –NAD 08/11

Peter Novelli, Peter Novelli [Chalet Music].  This Louisiana blues man sounds good on his more contemporary stuff, like Texas Tonk (1).  The bonus material, is killer with interviews with James Johnson, Raful Neal, and "Big" Johnny Thomassie, and a new recording of the Lousiana Swamp classic, Baby Scratch My Back (15). –NAD 08/11

Ruff Kutt Blues Band, Mill Block Blues (Ruff Kut).  Combining the talents of many undersung blues heroes in an album for charity, including Jr. Boy Jones (4, 8) and the vocalist Sugar Mama (11).  The standout cuts for me feature Dempsy Crenshaw on vocals, including Cut Like a Knife (1), and Daddy Sang the Blues (12).  Why haven’t I heard of him before? –NAD 07/11

George Harmonica Smith, Teardrops Are Falling (Electro-Fi).  Live recording from the forefather of West Coast blues harp.  A club date where he seems unsure of his audience, sticking to standards for most of the set, and then letting his style rip at the end. –NAD 07/11

Demetria Taylor, Bad Girl (Delmark).  Ms. Taylor is an unrepentant follower of the late great Koko Taylor, and this album of Chicago blues with gutbucket vocals is a fitting tribute.  My picks are All Your Love (2), Voodoo Woman (3), and When You Leave, Don’t Take Nothing (5), –NAD 07/11

George Thorogood, 2120 South Michigan Ave (Rounder).  A tribute to Chess records, from the man who revived primitive rock and roll (at least a couple of revivals ago).  My picks are Two Trains Running (6) and Willie Dixon’s Gone (11). –NAD 07/11

Kenny Blues Boss Wayne,  An Old Rock on a Roll (Stony Plain).  Great piano blues with a sense of humor.  Mr. Wayne seems to get better with each CD, or maybe he is just more comfortable being who he is. –NAD 07/11