Something New and The White Roach

I think I've mentioned before that I've stepped away from writing reviews in regards to blues releases. Just couldn't keep up with the number of cds that folks began sending me. I got really behind when my blog went wonky on me and just don't do it any longer. I don't buy recordings like I once did, but I do grab something every once in a blue moon. Since we've had a couple of those during the past year I thought that I share the few new blues that are in my hands now. Not reviews as such, just some passing thoughts.

First off, I have to mention a fantastic little record shop on Magazine Street called The White Roach. My daughter lives a few blocks away and my son-in-law turned me onto the place. The gal who runs the place has a great stock of vinyl, some rare and some new, including blues and lots of stuff from the Fat Possum catalog. I have a great deal of what she has, but always walk out with something. The last trip this last fall, I walked in and she was spinning a Magic Sam record. This woman knows the way to my soul.

Anyway--I spotted a double album entitled 4GDB. Sounded like a rap album or something. Closer inspection told me it featured some of the best danged blues guitarist in the state of Texas. I'm very familiar with Alan Haynes, Bert Wills, and Derek O'Brien. Not so much with John Inmon, until I researched the fact that he was a founding member of Jerry Jeff Walker's Lost Gonzo Band and had played with everybody who's anybody in Texas. Wills is a Gulf Coast treasure from the Galveston area and Haynes has been tearing it up for years for in every blues bar in the state. Of course, any blues fan worth his salt knows about O'Brien's stint as guitarist in Antone's house band from the git go, and they are bound to have blues albums featuring his tasty blues guitar.

I grabbed it, and when I paid The White Roach lady asked me whether I was familiar with Bert Wills. Told her yes indeed, had a few of his recordings. She said that she once did his online promotion for awhile, which I thought was quite cool. Sooo....

4GDB--A wonderful album full of those marvelous guitarist slinging and stinging the blues. Some acoustic, some rarely covered covers and a few originals. All four guitarists bring something to the table and the menu prime blues. Don't know how easy it'll be to get ahold of this, but it'll be worth the search. The White Roach solved that one for me.

Sonny Landreth Recorded Live In Lafayette--While at The White Roach, I spotted Sonny Landreth's new one. I'd seen him play a show a few years ago and the slide guitar wizard blew me away. I picked it up, put it back, picked it up and put it back. Kinda regretted not picking it up. My wife and daughter went shopping later and asked if I needed anything. Jokingly told them that if they passed by The White Roach, picked up Sonny Landreth's album. They did it. And didn't put it back.

It showcases just what a master slide guitarist Sonny Landreth is. The double album features and acoustic set, chock full of blues with some zydeco and Louisiana swamp music thrown down. The second disc features his electric set. Some more blues and some of the other worldly slide that only Landreth can conjure up. Mojo hand gone wild. Fantastic release and it's been nominated for a well deserved Grammy. So, you can find this one.

Johnny Nicholas and Friends Too Many Bad Habits--My wife went over to The Bugle Boy in LaGrange to see Johnny play awhile back. I've mentioned that great listening room here before. I've been a fan of Johnny's since he recorded with Big Walter Horton for Blind Pig way back in the day, and I told him so. He released Too Many Bad Habits at around the same time in the late '70s and it sort of disappeared. He told me that he had gained possession of what Blind Pig had in their vaults and that a slew of unreleased stuff he did with Walter was among the masters and to keep my eyes out for his planned remastered release. My ears perked up at unreleased Big Walter. He was woefully under recorded. So, when Too Many Bad Habits hit the market I had to, you know, get it in my hands. The first disc is a straight up re-issue of the original disc with lots of fine picking by Johnny and friends, including Asleep At The Wheel's front man, Ray Benson and the legendary Johnny Shines. Johnny played a number of years with Benson's band. Big Walter is featured on a number of cuts bouncing his fat harp tone off Shine's lead guitar.

Disc two is where the unreleased stuff appears with Shines and Walter, along with Boogie Woogie Read on piano, laying down the back in the alley blues as only the veterans could do. Walter sings on a few of the tracks, letting his harp do most of the talking. Nicolas' vocals drip blues blood all over this two disc set. Well worth the price of admission. Got this one and the following one through Blue Beat Music. If Charlie ain't got it, it can't be got.

Lester Butler featuring 13 Live @ Tamines 1997--Got this one because my wife kept bugging me about what I wanted for Christmas. Butler's live King King with his band The Red Devils has been one of my favorite live albums ever. His follow up featuring a new band lineup called 13 was a great one also. Then he died. That was it and very few examples of what he left behind surfaced, so when this one did, you know, I had to get it. It not exactly on the level of King King, which was wonderfully produced by Rick Ruben, but it's darned close. The dynamic harp playing rips and roars, along with Butler's tortured vocals and a  step is not lost with Alex Schulz in the guitar chair. There's too little Lester Butler out there, so this one with fill the bill until someone steps forward with something else.

Kim Wilson Blues and Boogie Vol. 1--Hell, it's Kim Wilson blowing and singing the blues. 'Nuff said. Another one of those 'what do you want for Christmas' thangs. This is Wilson getting back to his roots covering blues tunes he's been wanting to release for quite some time. He throws downs a few originals with a hand picked group of the best blues musicians on the West Coast. Might be the last recordings that we'll here from the stupendous keyboard man, Barrelhouse Chuck. This is my Kim Wilson. I've always loved The Fabulous Thunderbirds, but as of late, Wilson has been into his R&B and Soul bag, and, well, that just ain't my bag, but bring on the fat back blues harp sucking that Wilson mastered a long, long time ago and I'm in heaven. 'Nuff for now.

Wish List of Blues

Oh, since I've been pre-occupied with things related to my novel being accepted for publication, I haven't had time bite down on the blues lately. Today, I thought that I'd stroll through www and see what might be out there that I may have to have--eventually or tomorrow or whatever. I do believe that the following will contain some butt kicking, fat toned, blues harp blowing:

Big Walter Horton

Blues Harmonica Giant

JSP Records

I've got most everything that this blues giant has recorded, but this box set of 3 cd will put a lot of the music into one place. Can't go wrong with Big Walter.

Junior Wells & The Aces

Live In Boston 1966

Delmark Records

Notice that I'm starting with the blue harp legends. Junior Wells live with the Myers brothers can't be passed up, so I think this just may be another 'must have'. This is during the same time period that his desert island classic, Hoodoo Man Blues was released.

Charlie Musselwhite

The Well

Alligators Records

Charlie was one of the blues harp players that I saw live and in person. He blew me away and continues to do so. I've heard The Well on the radio and it is his well known tale about finding sobriety after hearing the story of 18 month Jessica McClure falling and being trapped in a well pipe in Midland, Texas. Her courage gave him courage and he tells it in song here, which includes a whole program of songs from Charlie's pen.

Mitch Kasmar & The Pontiax

Delta Groove

Way back when, I picked up a copy of Mitch Kasmar's Crazy Mixed Up World and became an immediate fan of the man. The recording covered a slew of Little Walter's songs, but I knew that he had more in him than just cloning the master. My research indicated that he had a previous, well received, recording with his band, The Pontiax. I tried my darnest to get my hands on a copy, but it was totally out of print, so I never did. Now, comes along his current label, the spiffy Delta Groove, who has the wisdom to re-master and re-release this first effort. I'm expecting it to be darned good.

John Nemeth

Name The Day

Blind Pig

John Nemeth frustrates me because I want him to stick his blues harp in his mouth on every tune on every record. He won't do it. Hard to blame him, when the man just might have the best damn vocals for the blues, soul or rhythm & blues. So, he mixes that stuff up and he's so good at it that I love his releases, even though I don't consider myself much of a soul/r&b fan. He just flat bowls you over with his singing. BUT, when he does put harp to mouth...then look the hell out, because the man can blow.

Maybe, when I slow down long enough to buy what may be gems of the blues, I report back with my opinion. In the meantime, don't take my word for it...beat me to it. 'Nuff for now.

Big Walter's Blues News

Here's a link to some home recordings of Big Walter Horton that I've never heard. Each of them exemplifies the genius of the man and his extraordinary tone. This site is from the Swedish blue publication Jefferson Magazine. Just scroll down until you get to the eight downloadable music tracks. Click Here.

Bob Corritore turned me on to this through his excellent blues newsletter, which is a chocked full of blues we all can use. Go over to Bob's website and sign up. He always includes some great links to blue videos and audios. Instead of butchering the Big Walter information, I'll just let you read what he wrote:

More Big Walter information. In the last newsletter, we reported that a new Big Walter Horton reissue had come out called King Of The Harmonica Players. Since then, we have been notified by Clas Ahlstrand of the Scandinavian Blues Association, who recorded some of these wonderful sides on a portable recorder while visiting Chicago, that this is not a licenced release. Clas also reports that eight of these sides are available as free downloads on the Jefferson Magazine site. Along with the downloads are the story and photos of the journey to Chicago and the home recording sessions with Big Walter. Thank you Clas for this additional information, and for recording these great sides for the world to enjoy.

I really enjoyed hearing these recordings, so I just had to share.

Ramble On

I didn't mention in the post below that I had plans to turn my pickup truck over to my son John, who gets his license on July 2, so I bought a new Ford F-150 crew cab for the trip to the canyons. Shame on me for buying a gas guzzler. Actually, I thought the 21 mpg that I got on the trip was darned good and the back seat area is way spacious for a road trip. Plus, the iPod connection allowed me to plug in as much Little Walter as my wife and son could possibly stand. I do have need for a truck bed for hauling something fairly often around my 5 acres. Enough excuses. I've driven pickups since college and I like 'em and this 'un is a good 'un if the 3,000 mile journey to the canyons indicates anything.

Oh and why is Rod Piazza pictured above? Well, since I need to count up just what this vacation trip might have tallied, I should hold off adding to my substantial stash of blues music. Shouldn't I? So, I thought that I would mention a few new releases that I ain't buying (yet), that may hold some promise for blues harp fans; and the new Piazza Soul Monster from Delta Groove Productions tops the list. He's one of the main men out there doing it today, so we've got to get his stuff. Right? Right.




Bobby Jones impressed me with his vocals on the last Mannish Boys CD (also on Delta Groove). Apparently, he happened by the studio, by invitation, and they talked him into singing a few and then a few more and a couple after that and before long he had his own release--backed by those Mannish Boys, who play the blues righteously. The man can sing. He goes from sounding like BB, to Muddy, to the Wolf, to himself, depending on the song selection.

I ran across a CD entitled Day To Day by Alabama Mike and featuring Steve Freund and RJ Mischo. Never heard of Alabama Mike, but those other two guys convince me to get this one. Can't go wrong when Mischo's on board.

Speaking of those unknowns to me. I purchased Severn Records Diamonds In The Rough a few years back featuring some Chi-Town harp players still doing the do around town. I knew not of anyone blowing the blues on that disc and some, like Russ Green, proved to be hugely talented. Others proved why they'll remain second or third tier level players. Enjoyable release, though. Severn repeats the process with a new release called Chicago Blues Harmonica Project--More Rare Gems. Russ Green is back and I know of Little Arthur Duncan (who sadly has passed away), but the rest of the blowers are new to me. Might be a good one.

Along the same lines comes Juicy Harmonica featuring blasts from the past by some folks I've certainly never heard blowing the blues. Ever hear of Leslie Lewis? How about Model T Slim? Or Little Daddy Walton? No? Okay, what about Tim Whisett or Harmonica Slim? No? Me neither. Never heard of the Sundown label, neither. Which makes it all the more intriguing.

How about Big Walter Horton? Okay, now we're talking. JSP plans to release a retrospective of sorts that might be of value to any of us that would like to have his scattered discography in one place. Just might turn out to be a MUST HAVE on the wish list. Anyway--'nuff for now.