KEEPING LIVING MUSIC ALIVE - BLACK & TAN SAMPLER
Various Artists
Black & Tan B&T 024
http://www.black-and-tan.com

PERCY STROTHER: Blow Wind Blow; BILLY JONES: Ain’t No Secret/ Ain’t Good Lookin’; BIG GEORGE JACKSON: Friday Evening/ You Ain’t All That; BYTHER SMITH: Close To You Baby; TERESA JAMES: Come Up And See Me Sometime/ Just When I Thought; ERNIE PAYNE; Coercion Street/ Curse Of Hamm; SUNSET TRAVELERS: I Got A Sure Thing; DOUG MACLEOD: The Devil Is Beating His Wife/ North County Woman; MIKE ANDERSEN: Same Damn Time/ Lessons; BOO BOO DAVIS: The Snake/ Leave It Alone; ROSCOE CHENIER: Rainin In My Heart; ERSKINE OGLESBY: Two Franc Blues

For the last seven years or so, Dutch label Black & Tan has been actively pushing for the blues, initially with a fairly conventional approach but latterly adopting a much more adventurous brief. So it is that such staunch traditionalists as Byther Smith, Percy Strother, Big George Jackson and Roscoe Chenier can be found side by side with the hybrid hip-hop/ southern soul/ blues sound of Arkansas born Billy Jones, or that the vastly under-rated bluesy songwriter Ernie Payne can come up with some of the most ‘primitive’ sounding and most Afro-centric music on offer here. The running order above has been edited for space reasons - there are in fact some extremely interesting juxtapositions on this well thought-out set, not least from Strother’s opening Muddy Waters cover to Billy Jones. Doug MacLeod has a couple of quiet acoustic offerings and Teresa James has one feisty boogie-woogie and one more sultry effort, whilst the late saxman Erskine Oglesby has the set’s only jump-blues styled outing with his lively, Louis Jordan inspired closing instrumental. Boo Boo Davis perhaps sums up the label’s remit with his two offerings: ‘The Snake’ is a raw, rough, tough downhome piece which almost out-wolfs the Wolf whereas ‘Leave It Alone’ is something else completely, Davis employing a much more sophisticated delivery on a mix of seventies styled jazz inflected smooth soul and urban contemporary - not many labels would allow him such an opportunity to try something so different.

The European blues sound is represented by the excellent Mike Andersen and the label’s house band the Sunset Travelers - both acts are thoroughly convincing, but that is only what we have come to expect!

All of which makes Black &Tan a label to watch - and should you require an introduction, this is the easiest way to get one. Norman Darwen 

The Idle Hands
The Devil Makes Work ...
Bone Idle TIH01
Titel: 1. Closer to the floor, 2. Miss me, 3. The Colour of Love, 4. The Devil makes work, 5. Riverside, 6. Should’ve known better, 7. Everyday, 8. Crazy, 9. Blues and Soul, 10. Judgement Day, 11. Red Snapper, 12. When my baby she left me, 13. Goodbye

The Idle Hands
Blues ‘n’ Booze Live
Bone Idle TIH02
Titel: 1. Come on (J. Hendrix), 2. Crazy (The Idle Hands), 3. Don’t start me talkin’(Sonny Boy Williamson 11), 4. Born under a bad sign (Albert King), 5. The thrill is gone (B.B. King), 6. Stone free (J. Hendrix), 7. When my baby she left me (Sonny Boy Williamson 1), 8. Mary had a little lamb (Buddy Guy), 9. Closer to the floor (The Idle Hands), 10. Superstar (Buddy Guy), 11. Continental ‘op (Rory Gallagher), 12. Foxy lady (J. Hendrix), 13. Fire (J. Hendrix), 14. Voodoo Chile (slight return) (J. Hendrix), 15. National Anthem (Traditional), 16. Purple Haze (J. Hendrix)
http://www.the-idle-hands.co.uk

Not new releases but easily available through this British band’s website, as with last year’s A Touch Of The Blues (Bone Idle TIH03 - and see 2004’s archived reviews), these two CDs present the classic sound of blues-rock from the period of the late sixties and early seventies. This four-piece consists of Phil Allen on vocals, Dave Robinson on guitars, Jamie Burns on bass and Simon Evans on drums and both albums feature guest harmonica player Pete Armitage whilst the studio set also has ‘Sleepy’ John  Stoppard on piano on one track. The live set was recorded at a CAMRA festival - that’s the Campaign For Real Ale, by the way - hence the title (nothing else intended, I’m sure!) In Dave the band have a musician who is accomplished at almost Chet Atkins styled country ragtime picking as he is at full-blown Hendrix style screaming and soaring blues rock soloing - and he can also evoke the spirit of the late Paul Kossoff and even throw in a few jazz licks if necesssary; vocalist Phil has just the right kind of strong, confident swagger, and the rhythm section are as subtle or forceful as each track requires.

OK, but which CD to get? Well, the studio set consists of mostly original material, generally heavy, rocking, powerful, often wah-wah guitar based blues, though with some changes of pace and tone also present. The live set starts with what sounds like a fairly reticent crowd who are going bananas by the end - I think they liked it! - and the set is generous with the Hendrix covers (some are bonus studio tracks), plus homages to Rory Gallagher, Albert King, Buddy Guy, Rice ‘Sonny Boy Williamson No.2’ Miller, and BB King - as well as being heavy, rocking and powerful too! Of course, if well-played, enthusiastic and muscular blues-rock with an occasional sense of humour is your bag, you’ll probably be best off going for both! Norman Darwen

Various Artists
THE R&B HITS OF 1954
Indigo IGOTCD 2565
http://www.sanctuaryrecordsgroup.co.uk/

Much has been made in the music business of the possible impact of the fifty years ‘out of copyright’ legislation as time moves on inexorably towards the end of 2005 and the freeing up of material recorded in 1955, the year perceived (at least in the mainstream press) as marking the beginning of Rock & Roll. This beautifully presented three CD box set proves it was there in all but name the year before anyway. Each one of the 85 tracks here was either a hit on the Billboard R&B charts or significant regional hit.

Take a listen to LaVern Baker’s big hit ‘Tweedle Dee’, though you will probably prefer her much tougher Rhythm & Blues sides to this trite ditty, Big Joe Turner’s pounding ‘Shake Rattle & Roll’, perennial doo-wop oldies such as the Moonglows’ ‘Sincerely’ or the Chords’ ‘Sh-Boom’ or the Clovers’ good-rockin’ ‘Your Cash Ain’t Nothin’ But Trash’ and then try and convince anyone they ain’t Rock ‘n’ Roll. And surely this confirms that all those people such as Fats Domino, Ray Charles, Smiley Lewis, Chuck Willis, Ruth Brown and many others did was to continue on in the same groove - it was only the marketing that changed.

At the same time as the nascent Rock & Roll revolution began though, there was a coming-of-age in the Chicago blues, here represented by Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf, Little Walter, Jimmy Reed,  Willie Mabon, Elmore James, J.B. Lenore, Memphis Minnie (surprisingly enough - this was her last commerical release), and Jimmy Rogers. Downhome sounds were still popular, from John Lee Hooker and fellow Detroit bluesman Baby Boy Warren (with Sonny Boy Williamson) to Texan Lil’ Son Jackson, the still active and ever impressive Jerry McCain and Nashville’s Arthur Gunter, whose ‘Baby Let’s Play House’.was later pinched by Elvis. The more sophisticated blues approach of T-Bone Walker, BB King and Lowell Fulson also enjoyed a good year, whilst the sound of New Orleans was as popular as ever too, with hits for Guitar Slim, Professor Longhair, and Annie Laurie alongside those names already mentioned.

Then there were the mavericks: Jalacy (Screamin’ Jay) Hawkins with ‘Baptize Me In Wine’ and Young John Watson pointing the way towards developments in the next decade with a wild ‘Space Guitar’. The old guard was still strong of course, as evinced by hits for the likes of Wynonie Harris, Buddy Johnson, and Big Jay McNeely, and of course  there were rocking vocal groups aplenty.

Something for everyone here then. 1954 was certainly a good year! Norman Darwen

WILLIAM GALISON & MADELEINE PEYROUX
Got You On My Mind
Waking Up Music (no issue number)
http://www.wakingupmusic.com/

This is a lovely, generally quiet and thoughtful CD from two major talents; the excellent singer/ guitarist Madeleine Peyroux is a former Rounder recording artist whose beautiful voice frequently recalls Billie Holiday, whilst William Galison supplies harmonicas, vocals, guitars (including dobro) and percussion. This is not a blues set, though some numbers that do fall into that category: take a listen to the title track, associated with Willie Dixon and Eric Clapton, or the New Orleans-ish ‘The Scorpion’ (which also features a fleeting appearance by singer Carly Simon). Much of the programme though is string band / harmonica jazz, on which Galison and Peyroux excel, there are also nods to French chanson and musette, a moving cover of John Lennon’s ‘Jealous Guy’ and an uplifting ‘Heaven Help Us All’ taking us into singer/ songwriter territory.

Yes, you do need broad tastes to appreciate it all, but if you are intrigued - buy it! Ideal for those more contemplative moments. (Nice packaging too). Norman Darwen

GILES
Blue Funk
May Tree  MTSCD5
http://www.gilesmusic.com/

Comprising Dutch singer/ bandleader/ songwriter/ guitarist/ keyboards player/ occasional bassist and drummer Mark Koehorst, singer/ bassist Piet Koehorst, and drummer Terry Shaughnessy, Giles are rapidly making a name for themselves on the British blues scene, and this, their third album, demonstrates just why they are so highly regarded. The title ‘Blue Funk’ is, in one way, something of a misnomer, tending as it does to suggest some of the funkier blues outings of Alberts King or Collins, and of course many others since then. Those kind of numbers are present, but the funk really comes from the relentless groove, with a kicking drum sound, that underpins the whole set.

There are many different and sometimes unexpected influences to be heard, from the two illustrious blues players just mentioned - there is some excellent guitar work to be heard throughout - and via JJ Cale and the bluesy side of Stephen Stills (material from both of them is covered here) through the likes of some of the more experimental blues bands of the last thirty years, on to the current melancholy guitar driven pop that is returning to popularity in the United Kingdom. The one standard to be heard on this set is ‘CC Rider’, which I guarantee is unlike any other version you may have heard. The production (Mark again) also helps with the distinctive approach of this set, with a slight fuzziness that adds an unusual touch of indistinctness and distance to the vocals and an eerie, objective feel to many tracks.

This is not then a quick twelve bar crawl for the drinking public nor is it in any way a retro set, but rather a truly contemporary blues set. A little unsettling and thought provoking, though thoroughly enjoyable for all that, it is a set that ultimately repays making the effort to track it down. Norman Darwen

LOU DeADDER
LouD
Start01
www.loudeadder.com/

When Canadian guitarist and singer Lou began playing back towards the end of the sixties, he was influenced by Jeff Beck, Johnny Winter, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, and Mike Bloomfield, so it should come as no surprise that he describes the music he played as ‘rocking blues’. Fast forward a couple of decades (during which time he played with a variety of bands playing a wide range of music) and he adds Albert Collins and Stevie Ray Vaughn to the list, before discovering the music of Robben Ford a little later.

This set finds Lou backed by a skin-tight outfit of organ, bass and drums, plus a couple of hornmen and a backing singer, and he defines this CD as a return to his roots. Hopefully that initial paragraph should give most readers a good idea of what to expect: the set opener ‘Beer Drinkin’ Mama’ is an attractive, totally accessible, guitar driven, good-timing opening blues (very nice backing vocals) and the next track ‘You Said’ seems about to follow the same course, with its riffing guitar intro - but then it takes off into a slightly different direction, with jazzy licks emphasised by some dirty trumpet playing and even a flute! Some of the material is rather more conventional, including the powerful shuffle ‘Tell Me ‘Bout Your Problem’, the straightforwardly jazzy blues ‘Dibs On You’ and the classic riff-riding blues-rocker ‘Burn Me Down’. These are however offset by items such as the funky big band sound of the instrumental ‘Struttin’, and rather less successfully to my taste, the country-ish, showbizzy ballad ‘My Baby Blue’. The proceedings wind up in admirable fashion with the cool slow-to-mid tempo strut of  ‘Ten Minutes’.

Full marks to Lou for a varied and always interesting CD, with plenty of excellent guitar work and a raft of intelligent, original songs. This is well worth checking out. Norman Darwen

W.C. Spencer
Blues Explorer
Catscan 2004

I totally agree with people who consider W.C. Spencer as the best actual blues multinstrumental performer. In this third work recorded for Catscan Records, Spencer invastigates on differerentfields and classic blues style with tributes to great names like Big Maceo, Howlin’ wolf, Little Walter, Tommy Bankhead, Papa Lightfoot, Albert King or Big Bill Broonzy, all performed with the honesty and respect these blues master deserve but also including his particular colorful luxury style. Gifted with a creative elegant technique, W.C. plays drums, bass, guitar, harmonica and sings with passion and conviction. He also shows his talent as song writer with four delightful original blues songs. This is a piece of work that should not go unnoticed among fans and will certainly raise W.C. Spencer to the summit of traditional blues new talents. GREAT. VICENTE P. ZÚMEL

Various Artists
Down Home Blues Classics 1943 - 1953
Boulevard Vintage  BVBCD 1003Z
http://www.secretrecordslimited.com/

One hundred tracks spread over four CDs and, for reasons that become apparent as the listener progresses through the set, divided into four approximate geographical areas: ‘Texas’ first, then ‘Chicago and Detroit’, followed by ‘Memphis & the South’, before ending with ‘New York & The East Coast States’. As booklet writer Neil Slaven affirms in his detailed notes, ‘downhome’ is here used in the sense of “rough, unschooled music that provided brief respite from the unremitting lives led by back-country communities during the hard times” ...which does sum it up pretty niftily!

That word “rough” cannot be over-emphasised with regard to many of the tracks on offer here. This is not the show-biz blues of the R&B crowd but the no-frills music of the front- and back-porch pickers, the tar-paper shack shakers, the juiced juke-joint jumpers, and the belly-rub boogie men. Some of the better-known names include Lightnin’ Hopkins, Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Jimmy Rogers, John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Reed, Howling Wolf, Elmore James, Brownie McGhee, Sonny Terry and Champion Jack Dupree but many of the others are familiar only to hardcore aficionados. However, that should be no discouragement, rather the opposite - this was the last flowering of the music in its original environment, and blooming marvellous it was too! The blues still as a vibrant and dynamic folk music...

This was the ‘album of the year’ for 2004 of a very well respected blues critic and I have to say I applaud his taste. Those new to the music should check it out immediately; others might like to check the track listing first but there is no shortage of classics here. Norman Darwen

THE GUV’NORS
Blue Murder: The Best Of ... 1989 - 1999
Hokum CD004

http://www.guvnors.com/

The Meters, Herbie Hancock, George Clinton, The Crusaders, Jimi Hendrix, Charlie Mingus... - well, I could add Albert, BB and Freddy King, Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughn to that list, but this is certainly not a standard blues album. Some might actually say that it’s not a blues album at all, but...

The Blues has always borrowed from other music forms around it, and with the exception of two ‘straight’ blues numbers - Freddy King’s ‘Sidetracked’ (the only non-original) and the prescient ‘Tomorrow’s Child’, that is just what is happening here. The opener has a Latin tinge thanks to some prominent percussion, there is plenty of funk throughout - sometimes mixed with jazz, late seventies style - and the cool sixties jazz sound is also present (there’s even a nod to free-form jazz!). Rock comes courtesy of some soaring guitar work and the occasionally hoarse vocals of multi-talented leader Robert Hokum, and of course some fierce wah wah work brought Hendrix to mind. Why, there’s even a country-gospel pastiche.

Not one to go for if your tastes exclude anything not in a 12 bar format - but if you want to hear a blues band not afraid to experiment with the form, check this out. Norman Darwen