WFHB Music - Bloomington Community Radio

Cropper, Steve & Felix Cavaliere – “Midnight Flyer” (Concord) B-

A disc of mostly Cropper/Cavaliere originals with able assists by Tom Hambridge. Cool to hear Felix’s vocals again, tastefully supported by Cropper’s guitar. The music is a little pop for my tastes these days, but akin to the old “Rascals” days – a great many medium-tempo pop arrangements with a couple of stand-outs.

James, Chris & Patrick Rynn – “Gonna Boogie Anyway” (Earwig) A

This guitar and bass blues duo hit the ground running with their first release last year “Stop and Think About it,” and they put the cream on top with this release. Meeting in Chicago, 1990, James and Rynn really hit it off and put together a power package that still displays down and dirty blues with taste and sensibility and a power-packed punch over James expressive vocals (a voice I predict we’ll hear a lot more about). Putting their twist on a couple of Bo Diddley tunes (2, 12), a little Jimmy Reed (7) and Tampa Red (11), they fill the rest of the CD with originals that bristle with tips of the hat to musical mentors (Elmore James, Muddy, etc.. These guys are just solid. This CD also boasts some great sideman assists like Henry Gray, David Maxwell, Bob Corritore, Eddie Kobek, etc. Highly Recommended.

Trucks, Derek – “Roadsongs” (Sony) A

“Live” Double-CD effort from famed slide guitarist (nephew of Allman Bros. drummer, husband of Susan Tedeschi) who started playing at age 9 and shared the stage with Buddy Guy, etc. at age 12. Heavily influenced by rockers like the Allman Bros. he also loved jazz, and this CD reflects not only those influences, but a wide spectrum of “world” music. His playing is southern rock, expressive, experimental and laced of course, with blues. Not a vocalist, Mike Mattison carries that spot and lets Derek fly on guitar. It’s nice to hear slide guitar woven so prominently through an album. Trucks really makes slide speak and work both as lead and support…very unusual. Seven years on the road together has honed these songs, a tight band with good backup vocals and great sense of dynamics.

Various – “Jimmy Dawkins Presents the Leric Story” (Delmark) A

In Chicago’s heyday of the blues, the small clubs often sported some of the best, grittiest, and liveliest blues. Many of these performers never “made” it but they built, carried, and exemplified the REAL Chicago blues scene. Briefly in the 1980s, one of them who did—Jimmy Dawkins—started his own label to showcase some of these great unknowns. Though the label didn’t last long, he captured the feel of local blues there and here, Delmark (a great source of re-issued AND current blues) picks up some of his stars to showcase them once more. Featured are Little Johnny Christian, Tail Dragger, Queen Sylvia, Vance Kelly, Nora Jean Brusco, Big Mojo Elm, and even Sister Margo and the Healing Center Choir (people often don’t realize what an impact gospel had in Chicago’s scene. Nice collection of the kinda blues that really built Chicago’s rep. Most songs here were written by the artists, by Jimmy Dawkins, or both together.

Various – “A Song for My Father” (429 Records) B+

A collection of tribute songs done by the children of famous performers. Pretty cool to hear that many of the kids have smooth versions of their own.

Winwood, Stevie – “Revolutions--The Very Best of Stevie Winwood” (Universal Island) B+

From age 15 when he joined the Spencer Davis Group (1966) and shot to fame with “Gimme Some Lovin’,” Winwood has burned through the years with knock-out groups like Traffic and Blind Faith, and then taking a breather before coming back strong in the eighties with two strong discs: “Back in the High Life,” and “Roll With It.” Subsequently touring with Clapton and splitting time between London and his Nashville, TN wife’s home there, he’s taking life and music at his own pace. This is a sampler of a coming 4-CED collection of those songs over the years.

BJ Blue with Brittany Allyn – “Platinum Duets-Unplugged” (Cosmopolitan Courtesy REc) C

Country singer Brittany Allyn teams up with BJ Blue in duet vocals with country backup. Not bad, but nothing stands out about this duo trading lines over country standards and male-female come-ons. Not necessarily recommended.

Charles, Josh – “Love, Work & Money” (CC Entertainment) B+

Brooklyn born keyboardist Josh Charles idolized Dr. John and wrangled a meet with him at age 14 by sending him a recording of himself playing like James Booker. A rabid fan of New Orleans music, he subsequently toured with the Neville Brothers and Buckwheat Zydeco, and recorded “Healing Time” for the Preservation Resource Center in New Orleans. Based on the success of that single, Charles here puts out his first front-man disc, backed by Dr. John’s band. All originals but for a Jimmy Cliff cover (not so natural sounding). Fantastically tight band with horns , backup vocals and drop dead rhythm. His keyboard and vocals fit over the top like they belonged there all along. What a dream come true for a keyboardin ’son of a gun. Last half of record settles into slow tempo—unlike rhythmic first half.

Coleman, Oscar “Bo Dudley”- “Oscar Boogie 2” (BoDud/Coleman Records) C

“Bo Dudley” was Coleman’s stage name in the early 40’s, which he derived from his second cousin Bo Dudley Evans who played down in Mississippi, but passed in 1944. Coleman recorded under the Bo Dudley, Bo Dud, and worked with Eddie C. Campbell and finally came out with some recordings after 2000 under his own name Oscar Coleman. All issued on the “BoDud” or “Dud Sound Recordings” labels. “Oscar Boogie 2” is the follow-up to his 2005 release “Oscar Boogie.” On this cd he throws in horns and all manner of instrumental backup that often seem to step all over each other by turns, in between some nice shuffles with Eddie Campbell’s bluesy guitar leads topping them off under Bo’s hollering vocals. Unpolished working bar band with a somewhat confusing sound, probably better at live entertainment than recorded work. Not recommended.

Coleman, Oscar “Bo Dudley”- “Oscar Boogie ” (Dud Sound Recordings) C-

Bo Dudley’s 2005 recording –extremely loose, badly recorded, and not recommended.

Coleman, Oscar “Bo Dudley”- “Change” (Dud Sound Recordings) C

Bo Dudley’s most recent, handmade recording (no liner notes and hand-drawn song-writing disclaimer on inside of homemade cover. I really WANT to recommend this guy, but I just can’t.

Dawson, Andrea – “Left with the Uptown Blues” (Listeners Ears Records) B-

Dallas blues singer (little Sister to area’s famous bluesplayer “Hashbrown” who often has backup players like Lucky Peterson, Andrew “Jr. Boy” Jones in her self-named band. She can throw out the powerful, big-mama vocals with a growl or bring them in smoothly. Songs seem to sport more tex-mex feel than the blues, though blues runs make scattered appearances and she even throws in a straight rocker (#9). Lots of chord change-ups and pop/jazz feel throughout. Adept but blues…not so much. Seems unfocused to me.

Delta Moon – “Hell Bound Train” (Red Parlor Records) B+

Tom Gray, specializing in slide guitar work and songwriting (Cyndi Lauper, Bonnie Bramlett, Carlene Carter, etc.) puts his blues love and gravelly voice together with guitarist Mark Johnson to pull out their Southern blues Rock mojos and cut a wide swath across the southeast, racking up prizes for best this and that. Raw and rough sounding, they keep the instrumentation spare so the slide guitar with its distortion touches shine while not overpowering the growling vocals and the song lyric “furniture.” Winners of the 2003 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, they’ve taken bass player Franher Joseph and drummer Darren Stanley across the continent, Canada and now tour in Europe. There’s a raw blues appeal atop a variety of rock beats that melds them together until movement is nearly mandatory. (I love people with a good command of rhythm—in whatever genre.) Add touches of banjo and resonator to minimalist treatments of some tunes and you’ve got an unusual and pleasing surprise.

Gates, Phil – “Addicted to the Blues” (Phil Gates) B+

Guitarist born in Chicago who got burst immediately into playing music and diving through it into the supporting electronics and recording techniques beneath. He’s made the guitar and high-tech electronics rounds in the Air Force, working as sound engineer in a Texas jazz club, performing at the Superbowl and finally producing and doing session work in L.A. He even wrote a book on recording guitar for Mel Bay in 2005. This record is his sixth personal CD and offers swift jazz-influenced solos, sizzling slide work, and funky touches. Sings tunefully with a little sandpaper flavor. His main challenge is not to overdo tunes, songwriting or solos just because his arsenal is so large. All songs original, CD nicely recorded.

Halley DeVestern Band – “Muscle Memory” (DeVestunes) D

Aptly described as a “pop puglist,” singer Halley DeVestern seems inclined to capture the “Heart” sisters vocals all in one. This album is a showcase for power rock vocals with which she clear aims to beat us to death. Melody not high on the richter scale…lots of pounding beats and vocals at biker drink-fest volume. Not recommended to anyone without previous ear damage. Not strictly FCC words like “pussy” and “hell” punctuate lyrics.

James, Cee Cee – “Seriously Raw” (FWG Records)

Janis Joplin – not so much. Screamer hoping for the Joplin chair…vocals slurry…emphasis on gutteral grunting etc. Sprinkled with some serious throat-scraping and laced with “God Damnit’s” to prove she means it. Not recommended.

Lauper, Cyndi – Nameless 2-CD sampler (DownTown Music) A

Pop songstress tries out a couple of blues songs with clear and supple vocals. She adds a kind of pop sensibility to these traditional oldies. BB King and Allen Toussaint back her on “Early in the Morning” (medium tempo) with predictably delicious results. Second tune “Just your Fool” finds her backed by Charlie Musselwhite – I mean how can a white girl with makeup (who just wants to have fun) go wrong? Lovely twosome of tunes…is there an album coming?

Wolfe, Tom – “Stripped Down at the Bang Palace” (Blues Leaf Records)

Blues rock of medium caliber…no offense but not recommended.