June
2002
Fathead First Class Riff-Raff Electro-Fi 3374/Festival
It looks like JUNO territory here with the fourth album from this amazing band. New drummer Chuck Keeping fits right in with a group that has always depended on all the parts being in equal balance and in being among the very best on their instrument (they have the awards to prove that, if you need it). They also write very strong songs and there is a stunning variety here. The mid-tempo putdown blues "First Class Riff Raff" suits John Mays' vocals to a "T" and Al Lerman's amplified harp matches the mood perfectly. "Cockle Doodle Do" has some clever tempo changes to go along with its clever lyric and features Michael Fonfara on piano. "Hard Times" brings us up to three hard contemporary blues before we get to Omar Tunnoch's "Just another Day", it alternates a tender R&B ballad verse with a sped up gospel chorus, very effective. "I Want You" is my favourite on the CD so far, a hard blues rocker featuring a great drum part, more tempo changes, a sizzling Teddy Leonard guitar solo and Denis Keldie on the B3. On to some reggae-tinged R&B for "She's Got The Look (She's got The Touch)" and then a grinding slow blues, "Shake This Feeling" with guitar and harp solos and group vocals. "The Low Life" is a B3-infused jazzy paean to a blues life and then Keldie's B3 opens "Living Like A King" which takes a marvelous page out of Percy Sledge's soul book. Social commentary is up next with "Greed (Share the Wealth)", a rocker that'll give you something to think about on the dance floor. Then you stay on the floor for a fine slow blues lamenting another departed loved one, "Same Old Thing (Just a Brand New Day)". A stab at a new anthem, "I've Been Bluesified", could be a great audience participation number _ we'll find out on June 4th at the Dollar for the CD launch. Go to www.wezel.com/fathead for a tour date near you. Beautifully recorded and produced by Alec Fraser and Fathead,
Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne
88th & Jump Street Electro-Fi 3371/Festival
Vancouver's Wayne, one of the country's top piano players, has put together a magnificent cross-Canada band for his Electro-Fi debut and brought some of Chicago's finest in for a topping. The opening Jerry Lee Lewis-esque boogie, "My Nadine", announces a stunning program of original material that puts these bands to excellent use. It features Jeff Healey with the core band of Mitch Lewis, guitar; Russell Jackson, bass and Maureen Brown, drums. On two songs, this band is augmented by the Swing Gang horns. The band for three songs is Mel Brown, guitar; Bob Stroger, bass; Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, drums and Dave "Hurricane" Hoerl, harp. (Not bad, eh.) "River of No Return" departs from the good time feel of much of the album and proves beyond a doubt that Wayne can write serious songs with the best of them. "Laughing Stock" does the same for straight-ahead Chicago blues and gives the Mel Brown band some meat to dig in to. "My New Gal", "Whiskey Heaven" and the title instrumental take Wayne's Amos Milburn/Fats Domino sound, as the CD says, "into the 21st Century", ending with a very appropriate "We Love the Blues" with just Wayne & Healey. This CD goes right to the year's best list.
The JW-Jones Band Bogart's Bounce NorthernBlues NBM00010/Festival
The sophomore effort from this young Ottawa band shows a remarkable leap forward in confidence and instrumental ability, and the first one was no slouch in either of those departments. The biggest improvement here is in the songwriting but unfortunately, the vocals have not kept pace: "Ain't Soon Enough" is one of those rockers that other bands would kill for, an incredible groove that fuels a great lyric but Jones' vocal just doesn't cut it. An equally strong Jones original, "Time to Move On", is a marvelous soul tune that fortunately gets a fine guest vocal from someone who can do it justice, Kim Wilson. The band's harpman Southside Steve Marriner's two vocals are slightly better, especially on his own "Don't Sugar Coat It". Gene Taylor adds stellar piano to an already great instrumental mix, just listen to the great opener, "Flatline". A nice gesture here was to give an up-and-coming Ottawa guitarist/singer Roxanne Potvin a guest spot with her own "You Forgot To Come Back". She's the singer that Mr. Jones is not and the band falls into place behind her with Tortoise Blue helping out on B3. Wilson is back with the vocal on Jones' "Blind Date Woman", Taylor is on the ivories and for 4:59 JW-Jones & the boys are Fabulous Thunderbirds _ he's probably still smiling! June 14th is the TO launch at the Dollar and check out www.jw-jones.com.
Robbie Lane & The Disciples Doin' It
Righteous Chicken CORCD-2
This band goes back to the golden age of Yonge Street in the early `60's, taking over at the fabled Coq D'Or Tavern (on the site of the HMV Store) after Ronnie Hawkins' first Hawks left him to eventually become The Band. Robbie Lane & The Disciples have never really gone away, but they have performed infrequently for many years while Lane stayed active in various parts of the music business. They now bill themselves as a "60's/70's/80's R&B R'n'R Show" and one recent gig at P.K. Creek in Mississauga puts them in the spotlight once more. The current Disciples are: Don Hart, bass/vocals; Joe Rigon, drums; Steve Shelski, guitar and lead vocals; Michael Keys, piano/lead vocals; Glenn Hill, blues harmonica/lead vocals and the horn section: Edward "Z", tenor sax; Joe Allen, trumpet and Stewart Elliott, baritone sax/lead vocals. Robbie Lane is the most effective of the all the vocalists and for a band that is not known as a blues band, this one-hour revue is all spirited, horn band blues, albeit in a lounge setting. Highlights are performances of Wynonie Harris' "Buzzard Luck", " Any Other Way", "You Broke My Spirit" & "Fannie Mae" (both early hits) and "Bo Diddley". A singles collection, including some from those early days, and one other more recent CD are available with this one and more history at www.robbielane.org.
Johnny Max In the Doghouse…Again! JMB0021
In my review of their first CD, Long Gone Train, I mentioned they were working on an album of new material. Well, it's not all new but it's welcome anyway, the title song alone making it worthwhile. Max is still in fine voice, with Kevin Higgins, ace guitarist; Bob Vespaziani, the new drummer and Bill Keeley, bass. Guesting on this self-produced CD are Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne and Michael Fonfara on piano for three songs. Other highlights include the acoustic John Hurt medley of "CC Rider/My Creole Belle" which shows Max can sing with less power; the original jump blues "3 Ex-wives"; "City Boy" (no country life for him); and Danny Brooks' "Carolina Shine" on which Danny helps out on vocals. There is a nice variety here and enthusiastic performances. Some of Max's vocals are too low in the mix but this is definitely a step in the right direction, bring on CD #3! Their web address: www.johnnymaxband.com.
David Jacobs-Strain Stuck On My Way
Back/NorthernBlues NBM00012/Festival
This Portland, Oregon-based guitarist is just eighteen and clearly has nothing more to learn about getting around a fretboard. Fortunately, he has also fallen in with some folks who have helped shape his original material so that we have much more than well-played but simple re-creations of Delta Blues. They are label-mate and mentor Otis Taylor and his producer, Kenny Passarelli, who, as you might expect, bring a fresh, non-standard, outlook to the album. The sound, in fact, fits right in with Harry Manx' CD's with occasional guest Peter Joseph Burtt's African kora adding the multicultural effect here. Lest you think this isn't a true blues CD, however, check out his impassioned "Poor Boy" or "Dark Horse Blues". "Linin' Track", with its manic National slide work, is another standout and a tip of the hat to Taj Mahal as well. Jacobs-Strain will be touring to support the CD next month, with dates at Ottawa Blues Festival, July 6 and at Harbourfront's Labatt Blue's Festival, Friday, July 7. For more tour dates and info, check www.northernblues.com or www.davidjacobs-strain.com.
Various Artists Midnite Blues Party Electro-Fi 3372/Festival
This one is sub-titled Classic Blues/Soul/Rockers and R&B. Every collector dreams of this, I think, having an entire album out there of your favourite obscure 45's (and they have to be obscure). Eddy B has one of the deepest treasure troves to choose from and while he has chosen rather more soul than I would have, this is one fine collection. Twenty-seven songs, 70 minutes of playing time and not one name you'll recognize but you won't sit still long enough to worry about that.
Mighty Joe Young Mighty Joe Young Blind Pig BPCD 5073/Stony Plain/Warner
The memory of Mighty Joe Young lives on in this re-packaging of the best of his two long out-of-print LP's on the Ovation label from the mid `70's. I remember interviewing him about these and he was very disappointed they had not done more for him at the time, reasoning that with proper promotion these could have been hit albums. Maybe this can happen posthumously - these songs do not sound dated at all. This material has never been released on CD and it's good to have it back as this major bluesman's discography is far too thin. Keyboardman Ken Saydak, a very young player at the time, provides moving liner notes.
Syl & Jimmy Johnson Two Johnsons are Better than
One Evidence ECD 26122
For those of you with few albums by these two brothers, this is a welcome modern soul blues CD for your collection: fine songs, well-performed. If you do have some, you may be slightly put off by the reappearance of older material and musical themes, although listening to "Is It Because I'm Black" serves as a dismal reminder of how little progress has been made since its first release in 1969. Essentially, Jimmy Johnson guests with Syl and his band plus producer Jon Tiven. He has five lead vocals and duets on a couple but his four new songs are valuable indeed. Of the nine by Syl, five are new but these are not overly memorable. The title song (one of the duets) especially disappoints, it goes on too long and too little is made of some interesting lyric ideas, the Johnson & Johnson bandaid bit for example. But all of this carping is a penalty paid by those with large collections, others will enjoy this CD very much.
Also received for this month:
Chess Brothers Blues from the
Hammer CB-108
Hurricane Mike Thompson Voices From Other
Rooms Northern Echo
John Mooney All I Want Blind Pig BPCD 5074/Stony Plain/Warner
Coco Montoya Can't Look Back Alligator ALCD 4885/Warner
- John Valenteyn, jvalenteyn8724@rogers.com
Toronto Blues Society Copyright _ 2002