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.