BLUES JUNCTION Productions
7343 El Camino Real
Suite 327
Atascadero, CA 93422-4697
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This appropriately named album, Back to Chicago, is by a blues collective known as the Rockwell Avenue Blues Band. They are led by Tad Robinson, Steve Freund and Ken Saydak. They are joined by bassist Harlen Terson and drummer Marty Binder. Robinson, Freund and Saydak all contribute songs to this thirteen-song offering. Harlen Terson writes two songs to round out this mostly original set of music. Robinson, Freund and Saydek divide singing duties evenly and their contrasting styles help to make Back to Chicago a fun journey through the blues. (A complete album review can be found in this month’s BLUES JUNCTION.)
This quirky Belgium based blues man’s brand-new CD is a wildly eclectic affair that surely has something for anyone who is interested in having a good time. This thirteen-song offering of Troch originals visits many musical styles all tied together by a deft sense of humor and great musicianship. Guitarist Little Steve Van Der Nat, bassist Leisbeth Sprangers and drummer King Berik Heirman offer great support for Troch’s melodic, graceful harmonica lines. Picture Billy Watson meets El Fish.
Veteran Finnish harmonica master Helge Tallqvist and his fine young band are back; this time in support of an exciting young vocalist, Emilia Sisco. This is an interesting album which is a lot of fun. There are elements of soul, r&b and funk, but with a bluesy undercurrent provided by Tallqvist’s George “Harmonica” Smith influenced harp playing. Covers include a couple of Johnny “Guitar” Watson’s funk era tunes and Otis Rush’s Peacock Records classic Homework. Much of the new material was written by Tommy Leino who also recorded and mixed the album. It is wonderful to hear all this young talent playing this vintage music with a real maturity and sense of swing.
It is great to have Big Nick Moss back in the tribe. He left us for a while to explore the world of blues-rock. He has a new band of mostly young, yet excellent players who speak the same blues language we so love around here at the JUNCTION. Featuring the harmonica stylings of modern master Dennis Gruenling, these two kindred spirits released their Alligator debut on March 9th. Hight Cost of Low Living was co-produced along with Moss by Kid Andersen. It was Andersen who engineered and mixed the album as well at his Greaseland Studios in San Jose. Special thanks to Tom Hyslop for getting this CD in my hands. It is Tom who wrote the liner notes for this wonderful release.
This March release on Rip Cat Records is entitled Old School. Like the title implies it is a down home, old school recording. The entire album was recorded at Jon Atkinson’s Big Tone Studios using all analog equipment and vintage microphones. It was recorded live on tape using two tracks. That is old school and part of what makes this record very special. Old School covers a wide gamut of styles within the context of vintage music, but never feels contrived or forced in any way. These are real pros led by an old school dude who has spent a lifetime playing with the greatest musicians of this or any other generation for that matter. (Read a full album review in this month’s BLUES JUNCTION)
On Blow Your Cool, harp man, vocalist, songwriter and band leader Paul Barry taps into the swinging sound associated with the modern West Coast blues scene. The wonderful connection between California and Minnesota is alive and well here on Blow Your Cool. Barry gets a lot of help from Californians pianist Fred Kaplan and fellow harmonica man Mitch Kashmar. Long time Minnesota resident Wee Willie Walker guests as well and his outstanding vocals can be heard on four tracks here. Saint Paul based blues stalwart Jeremy Johnson handles all the guitar duties. This one is a real winner.
James Harman just released a brand-new album on the Electro-Fi label called fineprint. If you examine the fine print of this March 16th release you will realize that James Harman understands what makes a great album. The patented Harman wit and wordplay are in full effect here, yet even that aspect of the album doesn’t overwhelm the groove and the great musicians. They seem to all work in service of the almighty deity, which is the song itself and these cats have some real gems on which to ply their trade. (For a full album review, see our Monthly Album Spotlight feature in this month’s BLUES JUNCTION.)
On this, her debut album, the young Argentine singer offers up some stark and compelling blues. Diaz is a talented vocalist and gives listeners a seven song (with one hidden bonus track) offering that has some interesting instrumentation. On some tracks she is accompanied by a lone guitar and others just a Hammond organ. Only two tracks, both Otis Rush standards, I Can’t Quit You Baby and Keep On Lovin’ Me Baby does Diaz utilize a rhythm section of bass and drums to go along with the guitar and organ. The entire album was recorded, mixed and mastered by Daniel De Vita. De Vita can be heard playing guitar on three tracks. He coaxes a natural, room sound out of the sessions and puts the big voiced singer in the spotlight.
On this wonderful album, excellent musicianship doesn’t get in the way of a good time. Here Boom, Belgium, based singer and guitarist Tim Ielegems takes some original ideas and applies them to the sounds of traditional blues. This twelve-song adventure of mostly Ielegems originals was produced by none other than James Harman. He blows harp on three of the album's twelve tracks and even contributes an original song to the proceedings Icepick’s Shakedown Th’owdown. Gene Taylor plays piano on six tracks on this brand-new Rhythm Bomb Records release. Along with the terrific guitar playing of Ielegems, the tenor and baritone sax of Bart Stone adds a wonderful sonic dynamic to this album. The teaming of Shakedown Tim & The Rhythm Revue with Taylor and Harman makes an already great band even better. Shakedown’s Th’owdown is a potent cocktail of vintage cool. Highly recommended…
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BLUES JUNCTION Productions
7343 El Camino Real
Suite 327
Atascadero, CA 93422-4697
info