By Marty Gunther
Red Hot ’n Blues Reviews for September 2024
Duke Robillard – Roll with Me
Stony Plain Records SPCD1696
A guitar genius and music scholar who’s the equal of anyone across the blues, jazz and rock spectrum, Duke Robillard gets into his comfort zone with this disc. He and his band reunite with several former Roomful of Blues horn players, turn back the clock and show the world what it was like in the era in which big-band, swing and more merged to give birth to the music we enjoy today.
A seamless fusion of Duke originals with songs from multiple eras, the roster includes Doug James, Rich Lataille and Mark Earley on saxes, Sugar Ray Norcia on harp, Al Basile on cornet and Doug Woolverton on trumpet. And Chris Cote sits in on vocals for two tracks, too.
What’s old is new again if you give a listen to “Blue Coat Man,” “Just Kiss Me,” “Are You Going My Way,” “Boogie Uproar,” “Look What You Done,” “My Plea,” “You Got Money,” “Boogie Woogie Country Girl” and “Don’t You Want to Roll with Me.”
Amanda Fish – Kingdom
VizzTone Label Group VT-FF-03
Possessing a wall-rattling alto, Amanda Fish hit the heights with her first two CDs, winning rising star honors from the BMAs and Blues Blast while earning Billboard Top Ten sales in the process. And she keeps the heat on high with this self-penned set, which delivers a message of truth, love, recovery and redemption amidst the troubles of modern times.
Recorded in St. Louis by Paul Niehaus IV, Amanda’s core band includes guitarists Terry Midkiff and Dylan Farrell, sax player Dom Knott, and drummer Glen James with augmentation from guitarists Billy Evanochko and Jeremiah Johnson. VizzTone head honcho Richard Rosenblatt takes a turn on harp, too.
Buckle up and tune in to “Mockingbird,” “Sell the Record,” “Unbreakable,” “The Great Reset,” “Broke Ass Blues,” “Work,” “The World We Leave Behind,” “Mother” and “Kingdom.”
Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee – Live from the Ash Grove
Liberation Hall LIB-5038
Superstars in the world of Piedmont blues, harp player Sonny Terry and guitarist Brownie McGhee survived a rocky partnership for 35 years. They continued to captivate audiences for decades despite a falling-out that left them not speaking to one another anywhere except on stage.
They simply dazzle in this never-before-released set, which was captured live in Los Angeles in 1973 and presents them at their warmest and fuzziest best. Chockful of Sonny’s powerful whoops and Brownie’s tasty fretwork, it’s guaranteed to leave you with a smile.
You’ll be bopping along to “Trouble in Mind,” “Hootin’ the Blues,” “Blowin’ the Fuses,” “(I Gotta Look) Up Under Your Hood,” “My Father’s Words,” “Midnight Special,” “Packin’ Up Gettin’ Ready to Go” and “C’mon If You’re Comin’.”
Kid Andersen/Lisa “Little Baby” Andersen – Spirits/Soul
Little Village Foundation LVF 1063
One of the top producers in the world of blues, Kid Andersen consistently creates award-winning albums for others. But he turns the spotlight on himself and his wife, Lisa “Little Baby” Andersen with this exceptional, two-disc extravaganza.
Kid’s guitar talents take center stage on the first platter, which is as intimate and deep blue as you can get. Then he yields to Lisa for blues-tinged soul. A honeyed vocalist, Lisa’s appeared in a backup capacity on many of the 150-plus CDs coming out of the family’s Greaseland Studios after a solo career that included stints on American Idol and Showtime at the Apollo. A don’t-miss, 100-plus-minute offering, it proves there’s more than one superstar in the Andersen household.
The all-star roster includes Latimore, Charlie Musselwhite, John Németh, Sax Gordon Beadle, Rusty Zinn, several dearly departed: Wee Willie Walker, Finish Tasby, Little Charlie Baty, Les McCann, James Harman, Mike Ledbetter with gold-standard Little Village backing. Don’t miss this one!
Giles Robson – Seven Blues Classics
Self-produced CD
Based out of the UK and branded by Hohner as one of the world’s greatest living blues harp players, Giles Robson captured a BMA for acoustic album of the year in 2019, and he returns with this long-awaited follow-up. He reinterprets seven azure classics and adds a tune of his own, demonstrating the style, timing and virtuosity that separates him from the crowd.
The only European artist ever signed to Alligator Records, which issued his previous effort, Giles delivers this one live and in stripped-down format, accompanied solely by Italian-born, London-based guitarist Manny Fizzotti. They combine to deliver a deep-in-the-pocket set sure to warm the heart of anyone who enjoys traditional blues the way it used to be.
You’ll love Robson’s takes on “Walking Blues,” “Key to the Highway,” “Hoodoo Man Blues,” “Death Letter Blues,” “Nine Below Zero,” “Crossroads” and “Louise McGhee,” and you’ll dig his own “G.R.’s Locomotive Blues.”
Jeff Pitchell – Brown Eyed Blues
Deguello Records
A singer/guitarist who’s topped the Billboard charts as a soloist and recorded with J. Geils, James Cotton, Dave Mason and Clarence Clemons, Jeff Pitchell covers the blues in all spectrums in this 16-track collection. It’ll have you rockin’ in a good way throughout.
The star-studded lineup includes Cotton, Duane Betts, Charles Neville, Mason, Reese Wynans, Tom Hambridge, Rick Derringer and more. Recorded in Connecticut and Nashville, the 16-song effort features ten soulful originals.
Give a listen to “Now You Know,” “Brown Eyed Blues,” “Caught Up in the Wave,” “Every Day,” “Do Right Girl,” “Any Way You Can,” “Stay While the Night Is Young,” “Meet Me,” “Whiskey River,” “Keep My Head Up,” “Soulshine” and “Welcome to the Beat.”
Piper & the Hard Times – Revelation
Hard Times Records 0027HTR
Winners of the 2024 International Blues Challenge and fronted by the rich baritone of Al “Piper” Green, the Nashville-based Piper & the Hard Times absolutely smoke from the jump, debuting their own brand of funky blues, New Orleans second-line soul and groove-filled rock to the world.
Featuring Steve Eagon on guitar and Amy Federick on keys, this over-the-top production gets a helping hand from award-winning vocalist Shaun Murphy, harp player Chris “Freight Train” Floyd and a horn section, too.
Choice cuts include “Trouble Man,” “The Hard Times,” “Heart for Sale,” “Preacher Blues,” “Crave You,” “Come Back Knockin’,” “Why Not Me,” “You’re Gonna Miss Me,” “Walk With Me” and “Twenty Long Years.”
Lara Price – Half & Half
Gulf Coast Records
Abandoned as an infant in her native South Vietnam, brought to U.S. as part of the controversial Operation Baby Lift at war’s end and raised on the West Coast, Lara Price has more than enough reason to sing the blues. A livewire alto with a potent attack, she packs an emotional punch with each number here, which – as the title infers -- was recorded in California and Texas.
Backed by a revolving cast of 22 musicians, this mostly original set was co-produced by Kid Andersen in the Bay Area and Eric Harrison in Austin, the city Lara now calls home.
In-your-face and pleasing from the jump, tune in to “We’re Still Friends,” “Evidence,” “Fools Like Me,” “Things Ain’t Everything,” “Days Ago,” “Solitude,” “The Way Love Goes,” “Trouble, Heartache, Sadness” and “Heart on a String.”
Milwaukee – Milwaukee and Friends
Oracle Records
Here’s an interesting project: German guitarist/producer Olaf Rappe of the German band Milwaukee assembled 20 talents from around the globe to deliver a diverse smooth jazz- and blues-filled pleaser that might not leave you dancing but will definitely leave you swaying to each tune.
Guest vocalists include Briton Emma Watson, America’s Paula Jones and John Ragin and folks from Australia and Germany, too. They’re supported by Finnish guitar wizard Miiro Heikkila and several other musicians whose names might be unfamiliar but who produce sounds that will delight.
Perfect for a quiet night, you’ll love “The Weight,” “Midnight in Harlem,” “Rio de Janeiro Blue,” “Tears From the Sun,” “Can’t Find My Way Home,” “Cool Breeze,” “The Spirit Trail,” “Drift Away” and “Turn the Page.”
Mark Hummel – True Believer
Rockinitis Records 1004
A giant in the blues world since the ’70s, harp player Mark Hummel pulls out all the stops on his latest disc, delivering contemporary messages about life and love in the 21st century while fronting a coast-to-coast all-star lineup that cooks contemporaneously in a style that would have comfortably fit in a world gone by.
The 11-time BMA nominee assembled a roster that includes Junior Watson, Billy Flynn and Joe Beard on guitars, Bob Welsh and Brett Brandstatt on keys and a guest appearance from Oscar Wilson of the Cash Box Kings, too. Like previous winners in this column, it was produced by Kid Andersen at Greaseland.
Sure to hit your sweet spot, dial in “High Time for the Devil,” “Ghosted,” “Headed for a Heartache,” “Jackknifed,” “Stop Messin’ Round,” “Mr. Two/Thirds,” “The Toddle,” “Lil Electric Car” and “Shufflin’ Days.”
Sugaray Rayford – Human Decency
Forty Below Records
Sugaray Rayford has been one of the most decorated vocalists in soul-blues in the past decade, earning the BMA’s B.B. King entertainer-of-the-year trophy and about two dozen other nominations, too. A giant of a man with a personality that eclipses his stature, he’s on a mission here, delivering a message that our similarities are stronger than our differences no matter how large they might be.
Delivered atop deep grooves and an incendiary score filled with horns and a heavy beat that’ll have you moving throughout, Sugaray might find it hard to top this one. Guests include guitarist Rick Holmstrom and vocalist Saundra Williams from Mavis Staples’ band.
Choice cuts include “Falling Upwards,” “Human Decency,” “Stuck Between,” “Strawberry Hill,” “Run for Cover,” “Dirty Rat,” “Ain’t That a Man,” “Hanky Panky Time” and “Aha.”
Celso Salim & Darryl Carriere – About Time
Wide Track Recordings WTR005
Brazilian guitarist Celso Salim and Californian harp player Darryl Carriere were long overdue to record an album together despite being friends and playing partners for more than 20 years. And they’re at the top of their game here. It’s a contemporary, full-band effort that swings relentlessly from the jump.
A former member of the Larry McCray Band and the winner of five Independent Music Awards, Celso’s been based in Los Angeles for 20 years while Darryl won top harp honors at the 2019 IBCs. They’re backed by co-producer/bassist Mike Hightower and world-class percussionist David Kida.
An all-original set, you’ll enjoy “BBQ,” “Sweet Thing,” “Please Stop,” “Here with You,” “With My Friends,” “Get Along,” “Love on a Shelf,” “Sadie” and “Make You Mine.”
Kelly’s Lot – The Blues Remind Me
Swampside Records SR241
Founded in L.A. by sultry vocalist Kelly Zirbes, Kelly’s Lot have been touring the world ever since. And they celebrate their anniversary with this azure effort. With 13 discs in their catalog, this is only their third all-blues production. Give it a spin, though, and you’ll be wanting more.
Guitarist Perry Robertson holds down most of the guitar and co-wrote many of the tunes with a lineup that includes keyboard player/vocalist Mo Beeks, bassist Mike McFadden, drummer Mike Sauer and a beefy horn section led by Bill Johnston. Sax player Pauly Cerra and European harp master Tomislav Goluban make guest appearances.
You’ve heard Kelly’s music on TV and major movies, and you’ll dig “Gotta Sing the Blues,” “Boogie Bus,” “Mama’s Blues,” “Man in the Moon,” “Without You,” “Just Tell Me the Truth,” “Aces” and “Love and Understanding.”
Christopher Wyze & the Tellers – Stuck in the Mud
Big Radio Records
Anointed by the Nashville Songwriters Association International last year as “one to watch,” Christopher Wyze makes his recording debut here. He’s a storyteller of the first order, and this release serves up 13 original tunes that are steeped in the blues tradition.
An Indiana native, Wyze spent 20 years in the fertile soil of the Mississippi Delta, where he developed his talent. Recorded in Clarkdale, Miss., and Muscle Shoals, Ala., he’s joined by guitarists Eric Deaton and Cary Hudson and multi-instrumentalist/producer Ralph Carter.
Primarily downhome music with a homey feel, tune in to “Three Hours from Memphis,” “Stuck in the Mud,” “Cotton Ain’t King,” “Back to Clarksdale,” “Money Spent Blues,” “Hard Work Don’t Pay,” “Life Behind Bars,” “Looking for My Baby,” “Wake Up” and “Someday.”
Albert Castiglia – Righteous Souls
Gulf Coast Records
Blues-rocker Albert Castiglia has been piling up the awards in recent years, but he outdoes himself with his latest release, an emotion-packed effort that includes appearances from several of the top names in the field and – for the first time ever – features the voice of his daughter, Rayne Castiglia.
He’s joined by Joe Bonamassa, Josh Smith, Poppa Chubby, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Ally Venable, Gary Hoey and Monster Mike Welch on guitars, Rick Estrin on harp, Jimmy Carpenter on sax and vocal assists from Danielle Nicole, Kevin Burt and Alabama Mike, too.
Definitely blues you can use, tune in to “Centerline,” “Mama, I Love You,” “You Can’t Judge a Book by the Cover,” “All Our Past Times,” “Till They Take It Away,” “Come on in This House,” “You Were Wrong,” “No Tears Left to Cry” and “What My Mamma Told Me.”
About the Author: The blues came calling for Marty Gunther in the 1960s, when he witnessed Muddy Waters, Mississippi John Hurt, B.B. King and Howlin' Wolf perform at the Newport festivals in his native Rhode Island. A longtime Chicagoan who's now based out of Ohio, he's a professional journalist and harp player who studied under Sugar Blue before co-founding the Nucklebusters, a band that's filled clubs in south Florida since the '80s.