In our ongoing feature entitled “Re-Visited” we took a look back this month on a 50 year old album entitled, Chicago/The Blues/Today! Not to put too fine a point on it, but the blues today in Chicago revolves around the monarchy that is The Cash Box Kings (CBK) and the blues royalty who inhabit their court.  

April 28^th was the release date of their eighth album, Holding Court. The album lives up to and even in many ways exceeds the expectations of this long time fan of the CBK. This is the band’s third album on Blind Pig Records and represents the crowning achievement of this trilogy. Holding Court continues the CBK tradition of great ensemble playing in the relaxed style of the Memphis and Chicago post war blues bands of the late 40’s and 50’s. 

The principal songwriter, as well as singer and harmonica player, is Joe Nosek. He wrote or co-wrote eight of the album’s thirteen tunes. He has emerged over the past few years as a first rate harmonica player. On Holding Court, Oscar Wilson continues to mature as a singer and takes over on lead vocals on seven tracks. He sings with a natural, unaffected voice which is steeped in the blues style of another era, before testosterone laden histrionics became a ubiquitous feature for would be blues singers of both sexes.

Wilson co-wrote, along with Nosek, two original tunes which embrace contemporary themes, Download Blues ‘These MP3s is killing me.’ When was the last time you heard a blues artist singing about making a living selling CDs in the era of YouTube videos, streaming services and digital stealing?...oops the accepted nomenclature is piracy...I guess if it implies you might have a parrot on your shoulder, it  sounds better. Another great tune is, Gotta Move Out to the Suburbs ‘The low end just got too high. I’ve got to move out to the suburbs and kiss my hood goodbye.’ Here Wilson sings about the flip side of urban gentrification.  

Joel Paterson, who is a simply stunning player, is the band’s principal guitarist and plays on every track handling the lead guitar duties. He again demonstrates not only an impeccable sense of feel in capturing the nuances of blues guitar, but has an astonishing versatility to match his virtuosity. He seems to make the right choices every time.  

Paterson is joined by Billy Flynn who plays rhythm guitar on eight tracks. Like Flynn, Barrelhouse Chuck is not only a CBK veteran, but also a member of Kim Wilson’s Blues All-Stars. Chuck Goering is a star in his own right, as he also has maintained a prolific solo career as well as being an in demand sideman. His piano and organ are always a welcome addition to any CBK album. The principal rhythm section consists of drummer Mark Haines and bassist Beau Sample who handles both the electric and upright bass duties. Brad Ber plays upright on three tracks and on these he is joined by drummer Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith.

The album was produced by Nosek and Paterson. It was recorded by Alex Hall, the drummer in Paterson’s band the Modern Sounds, at Hi-Style Studios in Chicago. The audio fidelity is first rate in every respect.

It is very exciting to listen to a band over a period of time and hear the improvements both individually and as a collective. The emergence of the CBK as the preeminent blues band in the windy city did not happen overnight. Joe Nosek, in particular, has improved dramatically as a vocalist as well as a harmonica player. It is a testament to an old fashioned work ethic and a commitment to the music that is very commendable. It takes so much time and patience to master one’s craft and why people think this ethos somehow doesn’t apply to the presentation of exceptional blues music is mystifying to me.  

The addition of vocalist Oscar Wilson as a permanent member of the band a few years ago was a huge step for the CBK and was the point the band really turned the corner. Now with real talent like Barrelhouse Chuck, Billy Flynn, and especially Joel Paterson, leading the charge the CBK have truly hit their stride.

With any recording, talent alone doesn’t get the job done. The real magic is in the songs themselves. To go along with the two topical tunes referenced earlier, Nosek has shown a true gift as a songwriter even when dealing with more traditional and universal themes.

The covers on Holding Court are as refreshing as the original songs. The album includes songs that pay homage to the golden age of Chicago blues by artists such as Big Smokey Smothers and his I Ain’t Gonna Be Your Monkey No More, John Lee Hooker’s Hobo Blues, Willie Love’s Everybody’s Fishin’, Jimmy Roger’s Out on the Road and Honey Allen’s I’m a Real Lover. These songs, by and large, haven’t been covered to death, or perhaps at all, and beyond that they just happen to be great tunes which fit the mood and ambiance of Holding Court.

With this, their latest offering, the CBK prove that even though they are in effect a “super group” with an all-star cast of the best Chicago blues players, they have the sound and feel of a tightly knit ensemble. Their talent and maturity lies in their devotion and service to the almighty king, which is the song itself.

When discussing the CBK there is something so obvious that it is easy to overlook. That is, this band is just plain fun. While all of these first call blues stars have a deep devotion and a respect for this music, they don’t seem to lose sight of the fact that the point of this music is to lift us out of our daily grind. 

The Cash Box Kings don’t present themselves as simply revivalists trying to do some kind of esoteric reenactment of music from a bygone era, but place this music in a context that is as timeless as attending a Cubs game at Wrigley Field. The surroundings might be old, but it’s a brand new day, the sun is shining and the joint is still jumping. On Holding Court The Cash Box Kings hit it out of the park. 

- David Mac