GUY TORTORA
FOOTNOTE TO THE BLUES
Turtledove Records GTX CD 01v
SONGS: Long Slow Blues, Hallowed Ground, I Need a Car, Late Starter, I Heard It Through The Grapevine, Did Somebody Make a Fool of You, Love Nor Money, Tough Love, Crossroads Blues, Sanctified Love, Going Down Slow (Pt II),
"Footnote to the Blues", is the title of the new CD from Guy Tortora - ( born in Pasadena, CA and today he´s living in the UK.), a collection of some outstanding original songs and a few choice covers in a very contemporary blues setting provided both by members of his regular band: Brendan Canty, Bass; Neil Littman , Drums; Mark Breen , Hammond Organ, & several other fine players from the UK scene.
A fine record with many facettes of Blues and also ballades. Guy plays acoustic and electric guitars, with "slide", in the art of Ry Cooder but with a very personal touch. His voice is natural sounding.
This fine collection of personal songs brings Guy Tortora straight ahead to your heart. Very well done. (www.guytortora.com) Fritz Svacina
ALEXIS KORNER
AND FRIENDS
CLASSIC PICTURES DVD6004X (UK)
Language: english; Regin: all regions
Titles: Intro, Timber, How Long Blues, Hoochie Coochie Man, Willie´s Trick, Mean Fool, Heavy Hearted Blues, Lawdy Miss Clawdy, I´d rather Go Blind, Blue Monday, Clapping Song.
Featuring: Bob Harris, Ruby Turner, Jaki Graham, Mel Collins, Carlo Little.
First of all Alexis Korner was one of the pioneers of the British Blues scene - a musician with a big voice and a excellent guitarplayer..
This 25 minutes documentary film was made at the Marquee Club in the early 80`s - not long before his death in 1984, features ALEXIS KORNER („The Man And His Music“) and his friends.
Also a 25 minutes feature of the great bluesman FURRY LEWIS, who was one of Alexis biggest influence, - is a special part.
The Major figure of British Blues, Korner had a big influence on the British groups starting in the 50`s. – the music ranged from skiffle to country blues, electric blues, R&B and rock 'n' roll. The documentary is presented by Bob Harris. The track lists includes some classic blues recordings including Hoochie Coochie Man (vcl- Alexis Korner) and I'd rather be blind (vcl- Ruby Turner) and Lawdy Miss Clawdy (vcl- Bill Wyman).
Special: fully animated menu, a full discography (with covers) and superb Dolby Digital sound.
Bluesfriends, this DVD with British Rhythm and Blues with a great LEGEND will be a must for your collection. (www.classicpictures.co.uk) Fritz Svacina
LITTLE CHARLIE & THE NIGHTCATS
THAT’S BIG!
Alligator ALCD4883
SONGS: Real Love; Weekend Off; Desperate Man; Livin’ Good; That’s Big;
Bluto’s Back; I’ll Bet I Never Cross Your Mind; I Know, She Used To Be Your
Woman; Money Must Think I’m Dead; Coastin’ Hank; It Better Get Better;
Bayview Jump; Steady Rollin’ Man; Go On If You’re Goin’
This eighth Alligator CD is a good example of how big the band, Little
Charlie & The Nightcats, has become. Over a thirty year period, and mainly in
the last fifteen years, this group has changed from a popular, local band to
a well-known world touring band. The two leaders of the group, Little
Charlie Baty and Rick Estrin, have maintained their high quality of varied,
mostly original music, and are an entertaining group to see and hear. Little
Charlie can really get carried away with his excellent guitar playing, while
Rick blows a powerful harp and sings his sometimes humorous and sometimes
serious songs. Rick has the knack of being theatrical with his tenor
vocals, so the lyrics sound very believable and full of feeling.
The music here varies from blues to swing and jazz to danceable tunes with a
Latin flair. Rick wrote ten out of the fourteen tunes, including the bluesy
“I’ll Bet I Never Cross Your Mind.” He laments how he’s stuck with a woman
he just can’t stand in the danceable “Desperate Man,” and praises the pretty
woman with all that meat and potatoes in the title track, “That’s Big.”
Little Charlie wrote two of the three instrumentals. Everyone struts their
stuff, and Charlie doesn’t miss a beat in the very fast, jumping tune,
“Bayview Jump.” Even the new drummer, Joey Ventitteli, wrote a blues number,
“ Real Love.”
The band is basically a quartet, and Frankie Randall, the acoustic and
electric bass player, has also recently joined the group. This CD also
features some Bay Area guest artitsts. Rusty Zinn plays guitar and sings on
the catchy “It Better Get Better.” John Firmin blows tenor sax and Rob
Sudduth blows baritone sax on several tunes. Two musicians, Steve Lucky and
Chris Siebert, play piano on other numbers. Chris plays a fast, fancy solo in
“Bayview Jump.”
This CD has a variety of enjoyable tunes that veterans of the art perform. It
is a great example of how musicians and songwriters, like Little Charlie Baty
and Rick Estrin, sound after years of practice and performances. Give it a
listen!!! Maria Bainer
W.C. CLARK
FROM AUSTIN WITH SOUL
Alligator ALCD 4884
SONGS: Snatching It Back; Midnight Hour Blues; I’ve Been Searching; Don’t
Mess Up A Good Thing; How Long Is A Heartache Supposed To Last?; Bitchy
Men; Let It Rain; Got Me Where You Want Me; Got To Find A Lover; Get Out Of
My Life, Woman; I’m Gonna Disappear; Real Live Livin’ Hurtin’ Man; I Keep
Hanging On
W.C. Clark is called “The Godfather of Austin Blues.” Clark was born in
Austin, Texas in 1939. Over his music career of over 40 years, he was first
regarded as “Austin’s Best Kept Secret,” but now he has gained more world
acclaim. During his illustrious career, he learned how to lift the audience
into a soul frenzy during the time he worked with R&B hitmaker, Joe Tex and
countless soul and blues stars, including Tyrone Davis and James Brown. He
was a member of the first band that Stevie Ray Vaughan had. He made his first
self-released recording in 1986. With the help of his friend, Mark Kazanoff,
co-producer and arranger, he recorded three excellent soul blues albums on
the Black Top label in the nineties. He won the W.C. Handy Award for “Soul
Blues Album Of The Year” with one of these CDs, “Texas Soul.” Another of
these CDs, “Lover’s Plea,” won the W.C. Handy Award for the “Artist
Deserving of Wider Recognition.” Several appearances on the well-known pubic
broadcasting television program, “Austin City Limits,” introduced him to a
broader audience.
Clark’s powerful, emotional vocals are the focus of his debut recording with
Alligator Records. His vocals lead the pack throughout the album, no matter
what the rhythm pattern is. His most soulful, gospel-influenced number, “How
Long Is A Heartache Supposed To Last?,’ is sixties-style, Memphis soul at
its best!!! This man can have SOUL, on the level of, or even higher, than
O.V. Wright and Al Green! His vocals make the lyrics of any song believable.
He is particularly convincing with his emotional rendition of “Real Live
Livin’Hurtin’ Man.”
Clark blends much of his guitar playing in with the rest of the band.
Gatemouth Brown’s “Midnight Hour Blues” is the clearest example of his
talented guitar playing. He opens the song with a good, sexy guitar solo, and
plays several other strong solos throughout the tune. Clark also wrote four
out of the thirteen songs.
The recording of this album was a comfortable one for Clark. It was in his
hometown of Austin, Texas. His old friend, Mark Kazanoff, produced the album
and also arranged and played all the horn solos with the dynamic Texas Horns.
He was also joined by some of the finest musicians of Austin. Marcia Ball,
Clark’s ex-label mate, joins Clark for an energized version of “Don’t Mess
Up A Good Thing.”
The varied music keeps the CD interesting. Amidst blues and danceable R&B,
there is a mix of funk, sometimes catchy and other times monotonous. These
songs are all blended with a big helping of soul, both in the type of tune
and in the deep feeling of the lyrics of all the songs.
After forty years, W.C. Clarke is just arriving at his peak. His vocals are
more intense and soulful than ever, and his guitar playing fits right in with
its rich chords and stinging single notes. This debut Alligator CD is
well-named. W.C. Clark IS FROM AUSTIN WITH SOUL! Maria Bainer
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