bluesinthenorthwest.com

Here’s a round-up of some new material from our good friend Betsie Brown at Blind Raccoon in Memphis:

LITTLE JOE McLERRAN

“Believe I’ll Make A Change”

(Roots Blues Reborn: RBR06006)

From Tulsa, Oklahoma, comes singer and guitarist Little Joe McLerran – this, his fourth cd, is a very enjoyable collection of traditional and old-time blues, some in the Piedmont style – with him accompanied by a fine band throughout the 13 tracks on offer.

It’s all beautifully played and will appeal to all true blues lovers, with his pleasant, warm voice and nice guitar work the main appeal – the rest of the players being Dexter Payne (reeds and harmonica), Robbie Mack (bass and vocals), Ron McRorey (drums), Jack Wolfe (keyboards), and harmonica contributions from David Bernston and Jimmy Junior Markham.

Standouts are his own “Cocktails For Two”, with nice acoustic harmonica from Dexter Payne; a nice rolling “Blues Before Sunrise” from pre-war blues legend Leroy Carr, and nice slide work on the traditional “Jesus Make Up My Dyin’ Bed – with the featured harmonica this time from David Bernston.

Elsewhere Blind Willie McTell’s “B&O Blues” is really nice, with a rollicking slide workout on Elmore James classic, “Baby Please Set A Date”, and his own “Sargent Sunday” is a jazzy tune with a nice lazy feel.

Highly recommended for those who like their blues pure and from way back!

www.littlejoeblues.com

www.myspace.com/littlejoeblues

WILL TUCKER

“Stealin’ The Soul”

(Will Tucker Music)

“Stealin’ The Soul” is the debut release from 16 years old guitar prodigy Will Tucker, from Memphis, and a regular at BB King’s Blues Club since last May – indeed four of the tracks here are live recordings from the afore-mentioned club, the rest recorded at the famous Ardent Studios, with the crack band of Lester Snell (Hammond organ), David Smith (bass) and Steve Potts (drums).

For someone of a tender age I think it’s fair to report his vocals are still a ‘work in progress’, but his guitar chops are in fine order, as evident on the opening, and only original, “Your Sacrifice”, a funky tune underpinned by Snell’s fine organ work, and followed by a spirited romp through the Muddy Waters classic, “Walkin In The Park”, with some very fine uncredited harmonica work.

The covers are well chosen – from Willie Cobbs “You Don’t Love Me, given a nice arrangement here, to chestnuts such as “Stormy Monday” and “Born Under A Bad Sign”, which both give Tucker ample opportunity to stretch out. The live band – Joe Boogie (keyboards), Randy Middleton (bass) and Pete Mendillo (drums), rock out on the Elvis hit, “Burning Love” and Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B Goode” – however the pick of the live tracks is Memphis Minnie’s “When The Levee Breaks, where all hit a really nice groove.

It’s good to see one so young carrying on the blues tradition, and considering it’s only four years since he picked up a guitar Will Tucker has made outstanding progress . . . a name to keep an eye on without doubt.

www.willtuckermusic.com

www.myspace.com/willtucker1

DAVID GERALD

“Hell And Back”

(David Gerald Enterprises)

Forty-something Detroit-based guitarist and singer David Gerald deals firmly in the soul-blues camp, playing guitar since aged 16 and influence by Prince, and later the music of the likes of Albert King, ZZ Hill, BB King and more. On “Hell And Back” he mixes studio recorded originals with some live blues standards – with the studio tracks recorded, mixed and produced by himself.

The live cuts were recorded at J. Dubs in Riverview, Michigan, and feature the band of Mike Ruppriecht (keyboards), Bob Bennett (bass) and Lou Eurns (drums) – firstly taking on Jerry Beach’s “I’ll Play The Blues For You” and then the timeless “The Thrill Is Gone”, both dominated by his soulful voice and fluid guitar licks.

Of the studio tracks, the opener, “My Guitar” is a soulful ode to his instrument of choice, with “How I Feel” a mid-tempo shuffle, with the title song, “Hell And Back”, telling of a family that has fallen on hard times, and again with a soulful feel and the best of his own songs.

He gives a nod to his guitar heroes on a closing brace of “Cold Shot” and “Red House”, laying his influences on the line, and included due to crowd response at his live shows, but for me a couple more original songs might have been the order of the day!

www.davidgerald.com

www.myspace.com/davidgerald

LEVEE TOWN

“Levee Town”

(self release: LT09004)

LT

Kansas City four-piece Levee Town tear it up on this fine release, 14 tracks of foot-on-the-pedal blues, often with a rockabilly and boogie feel, with the pace taken down at times. The band comprise of Brandon Hudspeth (guitar and vocals), Jimmie Meade (harmonica and vocals), Jan Faircloth (drums) and Jacque Garoutte (bas).

It’s nice to see a wholly original album, with most tunes penned by Hudspeth and Garoutte, and they blast into life on the rockabilly-flavoured “I’m Not Broke”, with Jimmy Meade’s big-toned harmonica excellent, as it is throughout. The swinging “Three Sides” follows, with Hudspeth’s nice guitar work and a nice, driving rhythm section. The slide and harmonica driven “You Mean” takes the pace down, but is straight up again for the rousing “Why Why Why”, a rocking shuffle, with a slight classic Fabulous Thunderbirds feel to it.

“Broken Jar” lopes along with a Jimmy Reed feel, with Jacque Garoutte’s funky “Rhythm Man” being an ode to all the bands constantly out on the road. The boogie of “Etta” positively bursts out the speakers, leading into the slow blues, and album highlight, “Heartless Is The Winter” . . . some fine slow blues guitar from Hudspeth and again most impressive harmonica from Jimmie Meade, as the band stretch out over 6:49.

“Hullabaloo” is a 50s-flavoured rocker and great fun, as is the roadhouse rocker, the band’s own “Rock Me Baby” . . . with the closing instrumental “Chicken Truck, being a funky tune with guest keyboards from Mike Sedovic . . . definitely a band to look out for!

www.leveetown.com

www.myspace.com/leveetown

GRAHAME RHODES

The roots of the Hollywood Blue Flames stretch back to the 1970s when the majority of the band were in the lineup of the legendary Hollywood Fats Band.  Led by the guitar virtuosity of Michael “Hollywood Fats” Mann the band were considered as the fathers of modern West Coast blues.  Californian blues would have been very different indeed without a shot of cool of retro grooves into the long hair and denim of the West Coast at that time.

After the very premature death of Mann in 1986 the band separated to follow their separate careers.  Many of them playing with a who’s who of modern West Coast legends.

In recent years the band have reformed to include Kirk Eli Fletcher and Junior Watson  in the guitar chair and are performing and recording under the name of The Hollwood Blue Flames.

This 2010 release is their third on the high class Delta Groove label and in common with other Delta Groove releases is recorded absolutely beautifully.

The disk covers the spectrum of classic  blues from the swinging sounds of the west coast to more down home acoustic tunes and on each tune the band nail the groove perfectly.  There are no better rhythm sections anywhere than Richard Innes (d) and Larry Taylor (b).  I have praised Fred Kaplan (p) many times on this site and once again he does not disappoint – he is rock solid in the piano chair throughout.

The band is led on harp and vocals by Al Blake with the aforementioned Fletcher and Watson on guitars.  Like so many other top end bands comprised of excellent musicians the real strength is the way that the whole band gel and play together, complementing each other perfectly.

Stand out songs for me are “Fly Like The Eagle, Cry Like The Dove” that is played perfectly by all featuring classic Kaplan piano supporting the lead voice and solos. Kaplan is solo on Hushpuppy recreating houseparty mid-tempo blues piano boogie woogie.  “Rambler and a Rolling Stone” is a lovely slow blues starting with Blake’s deceptively simple harp intro perfectly backed by the band and a crescendo guitar solo from Fletcher (I think). Great guitar is also evident on “My National Inquirer Baby” with Blake telling of his girl that can be read about in the National Inquirer, the solo on this one by Watson (I think).

Each song is perfectly crafted, the band play together beautifully and the production is simply divine.  Not one for the rock blues lovers but if you like your guitar hollow bodied, your bass stand up and your blues West Coast then it’s highly recommended.

The CD also ships with a bonus CD of The Hollywood Fats Band – “Larger than Life V2″ a compilation of material live and outtakes from the classic Hollywood Fats Band of the 70s and 80s.  Fat’s guitar is just as exciting and fluent as it ever was.  The man really was a true genious and reminds us what a terrible loss his early death was at the young age of 32.

http://www.deltagrooveproductions.com/music/artists/hollywood_blue_flames/main.html