SEPTEMBER 2004 PLAY LIST
1) ALBERT LEE "Heartbreak
Hill" Sugar Hill
www.albertleeandhogansheroes.com
And so here it is, THE album we've all been waiting for from Albert Lee.
Aside from being an internationally recognised virtuoso guitarist, Albert
remains different things to different people. By turns a Country rocker,
rockabilly, and Rock guitarist, Albert has returned to the USA to record
a definitive all star Country album.
Recorded partly in LA and partly in Nashville, this album confirms that Albert remains in the vanguard of all that is good about New Country, namely great songs, crystal glass harmonies, great playing and real feel.
The title track is a suitably up tempo Country rocker, on which Albert shares harmony vocals with Patty Loveless, and twins guitar duties with Buddy Emmons on pedal steel. Albert is a restless spirit and because of his constant gigging with his own band, and Bill Wyman, The Crickets etc, it has taken a long time to find a window of mutual availability for him and this stellar line up of Country players.
The liner notes by Emmylou Harris refer to his role in her "Hot Band" of 19 years ago, when Albert successfully took over the guitar duties from the estimable James Burton. Curiously Emmy doesn't actually appear on the album, but there's telling appearances by the likes of Vince Gill, Buddy Emmons, Jerry Douglas, Earl Scruggs, Patty Loveless and even JD Souther.
One of Albert's qualities notes Emmylou, is as a song stylist. And his reading of Emmy's husband/song writer Paul Kennerly's four efforts, from the title track to the top ten country rocker "Born To Run" is truly inspired. On "Born To Run", Albert delivers some beautifully insistent guitar runs, seamlessly backed by JT Thomas on piano, while on "Heaven Only Knows" Buddy Emmons adds some lovely pedal steel to more exquisite Albert playing.
Guitar fans will rejoice in the Gram Parsons's instrumental "Luxury Liner". It remains an Albert live favourite and is a glorious meeting of Albert, Brad Paisley and Vince Gill on guitars. The latter doubles up on mandolin and the number swings with abandon.
There's so much good stuff here, including the magnificent Rodney Crowell love song "Til I Gain Control Again", and a surprisingly languid but effective reading of Delbert McLinton's "Two More Bottles Of Wine". On the closing Rodney Crowell classic "Bluebird Wine", Albert teams up with fellow Grammy award winning musician Earl Scruggs on banjo and Buddy Emmons on pedal steel once more, for a final hoe down. This is the perfect end to a truly great Country rock album!
Here are some audio clips from Heartbreak
Hill: |
Broadband (CD quality) |
Dial-Up (AM radio) |
| Heartbreak Hill |  |
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| Born To Run | |
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| Luxury Liner | |
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2) DAVE MASON "Live XM Radio Concert" Promo
copy
davemason.accessbackstage.com
Great music survives the test of time, and as this great live set proves,
Dave Mason both wrote and interpreted some of the all time rock classics.
It's been well over two decades since Dave Mason enjoyed any profile at all in the UK. Aside from his low key tour with Fleetwood Mac's "Time" album, and a couple of albums in the late 80's, it seemed his star had all but dipped out of sight.
In fact since leaving Traffic for the last time, Dave established a solid solo career in the US, playing to packed out tours, and enjoying steady album sales - the last of which, 1983's prophetically titled "Old Crest On A New Wave" featured Michael Jackson no less.
But personal problems aside, Mason seems to have become a victim of being
part of the 80's AOL scene. Where bigger compatriots like The Eagles, Mac
and CSNY rode over the winds of change, Dave was left without a label, and
then his co writer/guitarist Jim Krueger sadly died.
And then out of nothing comes this fine live album. Nearly all of it hails
from his Traffic and immediate post Traffic days, but what wonderful material
it is. Mason still fronts a great band, and his guitar playing still picks
out those chiming melodies on songs like "We Just Disagree", "World
In Changes", "Only You Know & I Know", and a reprise of
his early 80's Hendrix version of "All Along The Watch Tower".
Apart from that, he is a great lyricist - where few words say so much - with
an ability to beautifully fit his lyrics to tightly structured melodies.
Traffic fans will enjoy Mason's rendering of Jim Capaldi's "4000 Headmen", and a blinding set is topped by a rousing "Feeling Allright" - at the conclusion of which Dave shouts out, "Rock an roll is an attitude, not an age thing". On the evidence of this he's still playing with fiery passion and his timeless material sounds just as potent now as it did over three decades ago.
Here are some audio clips from Live XM
Radio Concert: |
Broadband (CD quality) |
Dial-Up (AM radio) |
| We Just Disagree | |
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| World In Changes | |
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| Feelin' Alright | |
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3) STAN WEBB's CHICKEN SHACK "Still Live After All These Years" Mystic
(advance copy)
stanwebb.cjb.net
Stan's very first live album with a horn section, (superbly recorded in Germany), finds the long time Chicken Shack leader at the top of his form.
Sure there's the usual languid build up to numbers like BB King's "The Thrill Is Gone" and Stan's own "CS Opera", but your patience is rewarded on each of the tracks here, as Stan Works up to some blazing solo's in between some well arranged horns.
Material wise, there are few surprises, but the playing is nothing less than inspirational. Lowell Fulson's "Reconsider Baby", a reworked Willie Nelson's "Night Life" and "So Tell Me Now" remain long term set list favourites, but he does throw in a laid back, re arranged "Saw Her Standing There".
What stands out is the intuitive interplay between the core band members,
including a last minute addition on drums. Sometime Groundhogs drummer Mick
Jones seems to be a regular now, but for this session he flew in at the last
minute, and slips right into the groove. Stan's tone is monumental, his slide
playing fierce as ever, and his voice is easily the best it has ever been.
Long time fans will welcome the two version of the slide guitar led "Doctor
Brown". The album was recorded over two nights and as you can soon gather,
no two Stanley gigs are ever the same.
With a huge UK tour on the horizon, and with the imminent release of this
fine live album, Stan Webb might just be on the up escalator again.
4). BUDDAHEADS featuring BB Chung King "Real" Windswept Pacific
buddaheads.com
New found fans of the Buddaheads' "Mumbo Jumbo" album (see below), will love "Real", as it confirms the band as a quality rock blues act, and BB Chung as an innovative guitar heavy weight.
As far as I know this album precedes the excellent "Mumbo Jumbo" album, but has slightly more edge. The funky "Crawlin Moon" for example, demonstrates what a great player Alan "BB Chung" Mirikitani is. Beefed up by a powerful rhythm section comprising Boyd Lefan on the toughest of tough bass lines, and the mighty Joey Pafumi (of Walter Trout fame) on drums, this is cutting edge Rock Blues, that at times mirrors the late lamented Storyville.
On the fourth track in "Bye Bye" Alan hits the
kind of searing outro solo that would grace any of your Rock Blues collections
from the last ten years; This number like the album itself is a melange of
mainly self penned, inspirational guitar led blues rock. For the most part
the set follows a beefy funked up blues groove, but when the band finally
launch into a straight blues, full of some juicy mixed metaphors, as on the
self explanatory "Tied Up", they show a rare ability
to tease out an inner dynamic, born of some intuitive vocal phrasing and
Buddy Guy style, edgy guitar.
Another great album then, by the best goddamn rock & roll bank in Burbank
California.
5) THE BUDDAHEADS "Mumbo
Jumbo" Wilshire Park Records
Buddaheads.com
Coming
out of nowhere and crashing in at number one comes the magnificent Buddaheads.
For a trio this band create a lovely melange of guitar led Rock blues, funk
with even a dash of Rap.
But song writing guitarist/vocalist Alan Mirikitani a.k.a BB Chung King is
closer to Hendrix and in contemporary parlance The Imperial Crowns than any
other influence.
In fact "Mumbo Jumbo" will appeal to all lovers of guitar led rock Blues but as on the one cover on the album, Van Morrison's "Tupelo Honey" the band show they have real soul, as BB delivers some killer phrasing and full toned guitar.
For the most part this album positively oozes classic funky rocking blues, all cleverly held together by a very contemporary production. BB has it all in terms of singing, songs and supreme guitar lines, and he is bolstered by a rtythm section of real presence. Johnny Griparic is an awesome bass player, recalling the days of Free's Andy Fraser, while drummer Lee Spath underpins everything superbly.
There
are 14 tracks nearly all of which surpass expectations. From the low down
funk blues feel of "All
Night Long" and the mighty Classic Rock hook of "Hurricane" to
the sweeping rock ballad "Hold On" and the soulful "Mood For
Love", complete with JB style horns and a mesmerising mid number Rap,
this band slips into a mighty groove. On top of that ol' BB's got the blues
too, on a smoking version of "Amen".
Guitar led blues doesn't get much better than this.
If nothing else the Buddaheads set the standard for where Rock blues ought to be. Think of Kenny Wayne Sheppard, Storyville, Double Trouble, etc, but then realise that unlike those examples, BB sings as good as he writes and plays with fire, passion and a great tone, and friends, this is one killer album!!!!
Here
are some audio clips from Mumbo Jumbo: |
Broadband (CD quality) |
Dial-Up (AM radio) |
| Tupelo Honey | |
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| All Night Long | |
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| Amen | |
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6). TINSLEY ELLIS "The Hard Way" Telarc
tinsleyellis.com
Atlanta guitarist Tinsley Ellis has been round the block a few times, and
was once part of the Alligator roster. He then seemed to fall off the radar
along with quite a few other Rock Bluesers of the early 90's. Yet on the
evidence of this album, he is refreshed and back with his best material yet.
There's an opening hard edged funky, self explanatory "Still In The Game", with Ritchie Hayward on drums, on which Tinsley sets out his stall, and a characteristic slow burning "Let Him Down Easy", full of long linear guitar lines, and a muscular back beat that impresses with its core dynamic.
Tinsley last toured the UK about 8 years ago as a guitarist with potential.
Since then his song writing style has matured very quickly, and on the evidence
of the mid-paced "Me Without You" he's added a soulful angle to
his repertoire. On "I'll Get Over You", another song about relationships
(and there's quite a few on the album) he adds a similar percussive feel
to the one that underpinned one of his previous best efforts "Bush Doctor".
But all in all this is about Tinsley Ellis right now, a player who when he goes real down low with the blues as on "La La Land" , always digs deep and on this cut adds a telling wah wah. He also slips into a neat groove with Sean Costello on harp, on the gentle undulating swing of "Fountain of Youth".
Tinsley toughens up things on the ironically titled "The Last Song" reminding
us of his original blues rock heritage, and in the context of well crafted
Southern Rockin Blues, Tinsley is still among the vanguard and still taking "The
Hard Way".
Here are some audio clips from The
Hard Way: |
Broadband (CD quality) |
Dial-Up (AM radio) |
| Let Him Down Easy | |
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| Still In The Game | |
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| The Last Song | |
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7).
EARL GREEN & MARK OLBRICHT BLUES ORGANISATION "Live at
13th Torun Blues Meeting". Ore
thebluesbass.com
A very pleasant surprise indeed, as I stumbled upon an album I didn't even know existed. This Live in Poland set was recorded in November 2002, released in Poland in 2003, and finally has found its way in small numbers to the UK. (You can buy via the bluesbass website)
The band comprises UK based, Polish bass player Mark Olbricht, Richard Simmons on keys, Giles King on harp, Matt Schofield on guitar and Alan Shaulder on drums, and of course the immaculate Earl Green on vocals.
Given the material, the album is essentially the Earl Green live album that we have all been waiting for. There's much of his current repertoire, played supremely well by a killer band who had virtually no time to rehearse for the show. There's undoubted frisson in the air, with Mark's bass driving a relentless rhythm section through a mix of shuffles, boogie and swing. Richard Simmons adds peerless piano flourishes throughout, and Giles adds a beefy harp on "Open Up Baby ".
Overall this album really does sound like a true representation of a band
playing out of its skin in front of an enthusiastic crowd. Beyond that,
Earl Green delivers arguably his best recorded appearance yet. A great
album, seek it out.
8). CANNED HEAT "Boogie House Tapes 1969-1999" Ruf
Records
cannedheatmusic.com
Life is strange, and certainly no stranger than the 38 year existence of
Canned Heat. For the World's greatest or certainly most enduring boogie band,
now under the continued stewardship of drummer Fito De La Parra, is a tale
of sex drugs, rock & roll, death, more death, (7 former Heat members
are remembered on the front cover), drug busts, hits, Woodstock, some great
players, and above all a real blues heritage.
And it was with some trepidation however, that I listened to this CD, as on reading the liner notes I noticed tracks recorded on Dr Boogie's 2 way tape machine, as well as snippets from ads, and even songs from the dying Al Wilson's hospital bed. Happily my reservations were quickly dispelled as the overall affect of trawling through this double CD, is similar to delving into historical document.
The best things here are the openers with Bob Hite in good voice - even if as on "Something's Gotta Go", the vocals are erroneously attributed to Blind Owl. Al Wilson's 4 delicate solo tracks are tear jerkers, and it's good to know that this CD (the second in the series) captures the James "T" Thornbury/Junior Watson line-up in full throttle. This great line up in the early 90's never really did itself justice on disc, mainly because the band struggled to get a proper label involved. Still the "JJ Jump" outing, recorded in Paris is a great example of a great band.
Overall then, a surprisingly good effort, with the final 4 tracks suggesting that all those European tours, and the added presence of Robert Lucas (at least on the final two tracks) honed the Heat's style into the best of their genre.
It's funny but fitting perhaps, in a Cheech & Chong kind of way that Fito has overcome all the band's historical mishaps to present a double CD of outtakes, demo's, rehearsals, adverts and in the field recordings, most of which suggest a damn fine boogie band.
9). MATT SCHOFIELD BAND "The Trio Live" Nugene Records
nugenerecords.com
If you are impressed by the guitar playing on Earl Green/Mark Olbricht album,
then this Matt Schofield Band effort will doubtlessly further convince you
of the merits one of the UK's leading young blues bands.
The bass less trio comprise Matt on guitar, Australian drummer Evan Jenkins and keyboard player Johnny Henderson who plays mean Hammond, and underpins the whole thing.
Essentially this live debut album is a virtuoso romp through a mix of blues standards, and the occasional unexpected nugget such as the Meters' "Cissy Strut". At times there's a jazzy feel to the proceedings, notably on Matt's cool soloing on "Uncle Junior". But overall there's so much energy and creative tension that even the oft covered Albert Collins "Travellin South" is infused with a fresh excitement, as drums and keyboards, help tease out the all important dynamic.
The only minor quibble here is about Matt's vocals which could be stronger. On "Bloody Murder" for example, Matt delivers a volley of tough repeated guitar notes, over some energetic cymbal splashes from Evan, and all that is lacking is a brusque vocal line to resolve the piece.
But overall this is one fine slice of blues played by a band who we are going to hear a lot more of in the near future.
10). TO THE BRIDGE "Cat Strut" No label
ttbblues.co.uk
To The Bridge are similar to a few other live circuit bands with a whiz kid young guitarist and some older hands in support. Nothing wrong with that at all of course, except as ever it makes for another fine outfit playing to the same age group.
This isn't meant to sound negative as the guitarist concerned, Matt Bullard, is a fine player, who is searching out his own deep tone, and working on his song writing. There are elements of Freddie King and Albert Collins here, combined with a gritty vocal style.
The 3 tracks open with the self explanatory "Funkaholik" and that is quickly followed by a trail blazing slow blues on which Matt explores his own guitar style - again with a Freddie King feel. Roger Wagner underpins Matt's strutting guitar lines with a sumptuous bass line or two, and the whole thing winds up with a suitable rock & roll finish.
A fine live band and great young guitarist, this CD/EP debut is a promising step in the direction of better things to come.
Here's
an audio clip from their Cat
Strut EP: |
Broadband (CD quality) |
Dial-Up (AM radio) |
| Blues Alone | |
|
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