WFHB Music - Bloomington Community Radio

Blackman, Macy & The Mighty Fines – “Don’t You Just Know It” (Mamaru Rec.) B-

Old timer from the East Coast…studied music there in ‘70’s…took a side trip to New Orleans where he fell in love with their music and then ended up in California as a jazz teacher in Berkeley. Fond of old-time groups like the Drifters and Coasters, he was a road dawg for 15 years…befriending Dr. John and a bundle of others (including Keith Richards), and put together a side band to keep his favorite genres – New Orleans and 50’s R &B together. Good N.O. and jazz piano chops, backed by horns and fronted by Blackman’s not-so-great vocals, and peppered with some cool saxophone and jazz touches. A mix of old-time tunes and covers. Nice party band I expect.

Fowler, Damon – “Devil Got His Way” (Blind Pig) B

Twenty-five year old guitar slinger who definitely has the upper hand when it comes to making rock, slide and lap steel guitar do just what he wants them to do. He has an expressive voice, and can make things burn, yet retain a clear notion of musical/lyrical dynamics. In short, he knows when to shut up, and when to make it bleed. Though I am a little dubious about some of his song choices, I’m really likin’ his style and can only imagine how it’s gonna be as he matures.

Lauper, Cyndi – “Memphis Blues” (Mercer Street Records) A-

On a sampler CD (reviewed last August) Lauper introduced her collaborative effort at blues and this is the final 11-tune product. It’s tough singing gut-bucket blues with a clear rock voice, but Lauper pulls it off with the more-than-able assists of veteran musicians steeped in the genre. No flies on Cyndi, but it would be hard to mess up a collection of tunes backed by B.B. King, Charlie Musselwhite, Allen Toussaint, Jonny Lang, Amy LeVere and Ann Peebles. And mess it up she doesn’t. The authenticity of these players and her able backup band place this immoveably in the pocket. It is also interesting to hear a “pop/rock” (some folks refer to it as “Betty Boop sings blues) voice soaring over the top eyebrow raising, but in the final analysis…it kinda works.

Los Fabulocos – “Dos” (Delta Groove Records) B+

Kid Ramos is featured guitar player with this “Cali-Mex” musicical group formed in 2007 and now releasing their second CD. The musical blend of blues, zydeco, ‘50’s R & R, R&B, and traditional Mexican music puts them in a genre all their own. Rife with influences like Doug Sahm and southern two-steps this disc is bristling with Southwestern/Mexican flavor. Jesus Cuevas’ accordion skills are really something—never heard accordion play rock or kick those two-steps into high. Great musicians and a great example of a Americana music we often don’t hear. And of course Ramos’ guitar chops are killer. Grab a beer and let’s dance.

Mason, John-Alex – “Jook Joint Thunderclap – (Naked Jaybird Music) B-

Old-Time country blues is a specialized style of music that is being curiously mutated into something new-yet-old by the young folks comin’ up who admire it. One such is John-Alex Mason, a Colorado-born guitarist who grew up with a gospel background, got turned onto Johnny Winter, James Cotton and a raft of country blues masters. A European stint in the army found him busking solo electric blues, and now he comes together with Gerry Hundt—an up-and-coming electric harp player from Chicago, and some R.L. Burnsides grandkids (among others) to put forth his interesting renditions of new country blues…gone electric. His one-man band rig, backed with Hundt’s muscular harmonica plunges us into from the start, and then a variety of instruments and energies fill out the CD with an electric, front-porch party. It might come down from juke music, but it’s original, with a spoonful of almost everything else (Djembe, bolofone, mandolin, fiddle, electric cigar box—even rap). Interesting….what’ll they think of next?

Mo-Tones, Johnny & the – “Nothin’ to Lose” (Altenburgh Records) C

Wisconsin rock band that claim they play blues. They do pull off a couple of cool examples…a swingin’ jump tune and one serious shuffle, but mostly medium-appealing materials though musicianship is good. Not really recommended.

Price, Lara – “Everything” (Price Productions) C

Medium-like rock. Not terrible…not so good…not recommended.

Roomful of Blues – “Hook, Line & Sinker” (Alligator) A

The Legendary band keeps cookin’, currently with 8 members and stickin’ to their typical horn-laced, great guitar and vocalist, swingin’ blues. Members basically have to be complete experts at their instruments and with some real swingin’ corpuscles flooding their veins. Founded by Duke Robillard and Al Copley in 1967, more to-be-blues stars ran through their ranks than did the veterans of John Mayall’s band. But this is big-time swing and different kinds of chops are needed. Roomful turns out it’s usual class act here. In this incarnation vocalist Phil Pemberton dishes it out hot, guitarist Chris Vachou has a corner on fluid delivery; the horn section is tops and the rhythm section –dang it…they just cook. Mostly uptempo tunes.

Stubbs, Matthew – “Medford & Main” (Blue Bella Records) B

Power trio with Stubbs on guitar, often backed by horn section (Gordon Sax assists). Stubbs plays a variety of rock beats with horn section backup and a surprisingly pleasing mix of beats and feels. The horns fill a much needed support for his riffing and the backup of his bass & drummer. As a vocalist it may be harder for me to appreciate an entire album of originals/instrument-only music, though the players definitely know what they are going. It’s a Matthew Stubbs manifesto. He pulls characteristic sounds of Strats, Tele’s and Gibsons, but I think this disc will be most interesting to guitar warriors.