New Releases -
September 2001
Shawn Kellerman Take Note Kel-Tar KT 001/Indie
His name may not be all that familiar to you but you've almost certainly heard his guitar playing. He is Michael Pickett's regular lead player, is currently also holding that chair in the performing version of Paul Reddick & The Sidemen and if you've been lucky enough to catch multi-award winning Southern soul blues man Bobby Rush, you heard him there as well. He's a product of the rich south-western Ontario blues scene, currently working out of Kitchener and you would be well advised to pick up this CD and find out why he's in such demand. To quote his website, for his first album he decided to "synthesize his own fluid guitar technique and scorching attack with the classic sounds of the great blues masters". The bulk of Take Note is from an evening (last Dec. 29, to be exact) at Lancaster's in his home town with Mel Brown's Homewreckers backing him along with a stellar horn section. As you might expect, these songs are in the tight, modern blues styles of those on his resume, with a Stevie Ray Vaughan instrumental, "Rude Mood", to start things off followed by Walter "Wolfman" Washington's "Heatin' It Up", two fine Albert King tunes, "You're Gonna Need Me" and "Born Under A Bad Sign". Liquid Soul's "Threadin' The Needle" provides another topflight dancing instrumental and acoustic & electric slide playing dominates his reading of Willie Dixon's "You Shook Me". Some very Morgan Davis-like guitar work opens Lowell Fulson's "Bending Like A Willow Tree", bringing an end to the live portion of the disc. "Ain't Nothing Like Being With You" is written by and dedicated to the late Chicago Pete, who spent a lot of time away from Detroit giving young players like Kellerman expert training. It's the gem of this disc, with Kellerman's best vocal. The other studio band track, Little Milton's "That's What Love Will Make You Do", is unobtrusively slotted into the live set. The final song is his version of Johnny Winter's National Steel masterpiece, "Dallas", played without the stiffness of the original. Having worked with such singers as these, he hasn't had as much time to work on his vocals as he has on guitar but he's only 28 years old, has two Maple Blues Award nominations for guitarist of the year and on the strength of this disc, a huge career ahead of him. Get on board now. Your main chance is at The Silver Dollar Room on September 28. Get it there or go to www.shawnkellerman.com.
The Trevor Finlay Band
Bumpy Roads BKSA-02
One of Ottawa's more prolific and effective songwriters sent along Bumpy Roads, the second album since his Suicide Kings days. A triple threat, Finlay handles lead & rhythm guitar chores and vocals, Mark Rehder returns on drums from Morning Man and Barry Buse is the new bassist rounding out the basic guitar trio with Ken Fahie, guesting this time, on keyboards although it is difficult to imagine some of these songs being performed live without him, so important is he in the overall sound. "Mother Goose", "Naturally Drawn" & "The Couple Next Door" will keep Finlay's songwriting reputation intact but this album is really a showcase for his guitar playing. Most of the songs are mid to fast blues-rockers and feature one strong solo after another-a highlight is a 7:22 workout on "Hey Bo Diddley" that reminded me of Quicksilver Messenger Service and their long version of "Who Do You Love". Rehder & Buse are consistently inventive throughout and the use of extra percussion is a delight. If you're going to be in Ottawa early this month, check him out but his website says he's moving out west after that. Ordering info & news are at www.tfband.com.
Dave Harris Out Of The Blues Box Slim Chance SCR-CD-006
Harris is a busker in Victoria BC and plays in the one-man-band style a la Jesse Fuller. He has developed what he calls his Blues Box which he says is similar to Fuller's fotdella or foot-bass to keep the beat while playing guitar with a harp in a neck rack. From the pictures, it appears to be based on organ foot pedals. This all - acoustic album consists of eighteen songs, some of which are personalized versions of older songs and some of which are originals but in various traditional styles. I believe this is his sixth album but not all are currently available so he's provided acoustic versions of some songs from the earlier ones, including "Crowded at The Bottom" recorded live at his busking spot on The Causeway. Look for his Bravo TV special of that name airing soon. His albums are so determinedly anti-commercial, you can't help but like them. Phone/fax is (250) 384-0236 or email slimchance@altavista.com.
Kim Wilson Smokin' Joint
M.C. MC-0043
The first live album in Kim Wilson's solo discography (or with The Fabulous Thunderbirds, come to think of it) comes from two locations and with two pairs of guitar players. The reason one does these is to get the feedback of an enthusiastic crowd and we get that here. Wilson is one of our premier harp players but his vocals are often overlooked and the crowd brings out some of his finest blues vocalizing. There is, of course, lots of harp; Rusty Zinn & Billy Flynn and Kirk Fletcher & Troy Gonyea, the pairs of guitarists; Larry Taylor & Richrad Innes are the rhythm section extraordinaire. The songs are all new to disc for Wilson, no live greatest hits here, and three of them are new Wilson originals: "Learn To Treat Me Right", the title song and "The Lighthouse Is Gone" (these last two are seemingly effortless new harp workouts). Get it.
Alligator Records 30th Anniversary Collection
Alligator ALCD 112/13/Warner Music Canada
I hope Alligator sticks around for a long while because these double-disc packages celebrating 20, 25 and now 30 years are among the very finest blues compilations available. This time around, the first disc is a selection culled from studio CD's and the second is a selection of live performances, six not previously available including a CD-ROM video of "Taylor's Rock" by Hound Dog Taylor, le raison d'etre of Alligator (It's from the Ann Arbor Blues Festival, 1973). One raison d'etre for acquiring this set is a live "Dyin' Flu" by Albert Collins, a 1981 outtake from Frozen Alive, but at 10:34 of blues like this, what an outtake! Another is a pair of recordings from 1991's Chicago Blues Festival, from Lil' Ed and Son Seals with Elvin Bishop. The list here is long. It's sometimes easy to overlook this label because they're always there - these sets serve as a useful reminder of their now truly impressive catalogue of modern blues. Get one for yourself and get an early Christmas gift. The website is www.alligator.com.
Michelle Willson & The Evil Gal Festival Orchestra Wake Up Call Bullseye Blues & Boogaloo 11661-9639/Universal
After moving the boundaries of blues last time out, she jumps back in this time with a mix of older tunes and new ones that stake out an area between jazz blues and jump blues. The result points to an exciting evening on September 29 for her return visit to the Silver Dollar Room. The Evil Gal Festival Orchestra impressed last time and excels here. The new original, "Think About Me" is a keeper; Buddy Johnson's "They Don't Want Me To Rock No More", "Set You Free" and "People Say" all stand out. Five of the songs here are written by Michelle with the members of the band and the camaraderie shows. New songs, deluxe packaging, an excellent band and a singer/leader at the top of her game-what more could you ask for? See you there!
For some unexplained reason last time I took the guitar right out of
Big Mark Legault's hands! He is in fact the lead guitarist as well as the vocalist, bandleader, songwriter and producer
of Big Mark & The Blues Express' Steak And
Potatoes. (pictured at right)
A shorter column this time but next month an expanded review section will appear on the website, including some of these worthy recent arrivals:
Sonny Rhodes A Good Day To Play The
Blues Stony Plain/Warner Music Canada
Doug James with Duke Robillard & Sugar Ray Norcia
Blow Mr. Low Stony Plain/Warner Music Canada
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown Back To Bogalusa
Blue Thumb/Universal
Mighty Sam McClain Sweet Dreams Telarc/Universal
The Paul deLay Band Heavy
Rotation Evidence
Robert Pete Williams Robert Pete
Williams Fat Possum/Epitaph
- John Valenteyn, jvalenteyn8724@home.com
Toronto Blues Society Copyright _ 2001