Blues Blast Magazine Album Review: Mike Stern and Eric Johnson – Eclectic

Hello!

This CD review was originally published in the January 15, 2015 edition of Blues Blast Magazine. Be sure to check out the rest of the magazine at www.bluesblastmagazine.com

Mike Stern and Eric Johnson – Eclectic

Concord Music Group

www.mikestern.org

www.ericjohnson.com

www.concordmusicgroup.com

12 tracks / 72:22

Two powerhouse guitarists, Mike Stern and Eric Johnson, first got together when Mike asked Eric to play a few tracks on a recording project, which led to a performance together at the Blue Note in New York City. They had such a good chemistry on this show that they could not just go their separate ways, so they recently completed a neat cooperative effort, Eclectic.

Mike Stern is a top shelf jazz guitarist and Berklee graduate who has released 16 of his own albums, six of which were nominated for Grammy Awards. His big break was in 1976 with Blood, Sweat & Tears, and since then his career in the various genres has been nothing short of impressive. He has performed and recorded with an amazing cadre of artists, including Miles Davis, Jaco Pastorius, David Sanborn, the Brecker brothers, and Bela Fleck. The list goes on and on, bit you get the point.

Eric Johnson provides the rock half of the equation, and his curriculum vitae is no less solid, with a Grammy Award and five nominations of his own. Eric took up the guitar at the age of eleven (as Beatlemania took hold of the US) and in just a few years he jammed with Johnny Winter who later remarked, “When I heard Eric, he was only 16, and I remember wishing that I could have played like that at that age.” After a four-year stint with Austin, Texas’ seminal fusion band, the Electromagnets, he went on to cut ten of his own albums. Along the way he garnered the respect of big name guitarists such as B.B. King, Billy Gibbons, and Steve Morse, and had the opportunity to tour with his fellow guitar gods Steve Vai and Joe Satriani.

Eclectic was recorded in just 3 days at Johnson’s Austin, Texas studio, with few overdubs and a decidedly live feel. It clocks in at well over an hour and serves up eleven original tracks and one kicking cover. Stern and Johnson handle the guitars (obviously) and they are joined by the rock solid backline of Anton Fig on drums (late night with David Letterman’s World’s Most Dangerous Band) and Chris Maresh, Johnson’s regular bassist. A few key guests contributed as well, and their disparate backgrounds ensure that Eclectic is not just a clever name.

Austin’s pre-eminent soul man, Malford Milligan, helps kick things off with his growly vocals on “Roll with It.” His chops are a good match for the intricate guitar work on this funk rock piece, and the backline delivers a rock steady beat without being too flashy. After this things get jazzy with “Remember,” a six-minute fusion instrumental piece that might not be terribly radio-friendly, but it is super-listenable and features a killer bass groove from Maresh, who has no trouble keeping up with Johnson and Stern.

The instrumental “Benny Man’s Blues” is a tribute to Benny Goodman, and though it has the word “blues” in the title it defies categorization. There is a blues backbone, but it is layered with distorted bluesgrass picking, jazz rhythm guitar / bass, and knockout rockabilly drumming. Things calm down a bit for “Wishing Well” which is peaceful despite its fast tempo. This is surely helped along by the sweet vocal stylings of Grammy winner Christopher Cross, Johnson’s longtime friend and fellow Texan.

Maresh’s “Bigfoot” benefits from a world music intro that features Mike’s wife, Leni Stern, on vocals and n’goni. After 90 seconds of her lovely melodies, things go all experimental electric jazz, and it is hard to believe that the band was able to put songs this complex together in just a few days and still have them sound good.

Eric is not known for being a jazz guitarist, but one of his big inspirations is Wes Montgomery, and “Tidal” is a tribute to him. He also does not forget his own musical past, as he placed an Electromagnets song, “Dry Ice,” into the mix. This high-energy fusion instrumental exercise sounds huge, and Fig’s driving snare and kick drum propel this thing into overdrive for almost seven minutes. In keeping with the eclectic theme the horn section of saxophonist John Mills, trombonist Mike Mordecai and trumpeter Andrew Johnson join in on “Hullabaloo,” the most poppy and accessible track on the disc.

The album finishes up with a fresh take on Jimi Hendrix’s “Red House” with Stern and Johnson switching off on the vocals, and it turns out that they can both sing well too. Jimi inspired these guys, and their talent makes sure it is a fitting tribute. For good measure Guy Forsythe kicks in some tasteful harmonica work, which add a new element to this blues-rock classic.

Mike Stern and Eric Johnson’s Eclectic is a spontaneous collection of very good songs that were recorded by two of the best axe men in the business. If you love guitar music with no boundaries, this is the album for you. Hopefully their collaboration will continue after this project and we will get to hear more from this dynamic duo!

Mahalo!

coWpilot – coWpilot | Album Review

coWpilot – coWpilot

Self Release

www.facebook.com/coWpilot

9 tracks / 30:44

I review a lot of blues CDs, and it was nice to get something a little different to listen to this time, and coWpilot certainly delivered. Their eponymous debut album is a dose of quirky country (among other things) that is nothing like the formulaic pabulum that Nashville songwriters crank out like there is no tomorrow.

coWpilot has survived a long germination, with three members who have known each other for decades since they first met up on the central California coast. The lives and careers of Tee Fitch, Jack Williams, and Chris Barham took different directions, but fate smiled on them and they all eventually ended up in the Lone Star State. About ten years ago they sort of picked up where they left off, found themselves a drummer (Andy Alsup) and another guitarist (Jimmy Buck), and started playing club and corporate gigs again. Hallmarks of their live shows were their curious mashups (such as “Folsom Prison Wizard”), and the welcome conversion of terrible pop tunes to country (“These Boots Are Made For Walkin’”).

Fast forwarding to today, these folks needed a demo CD that they could use to procure more of these precious gigs, so they hit the studio to lay down some quick and dirty tracks. Things got out of hand, and they put together nine original tunes that Tee had written, and spent more time in the studio than they ever thought possible. Jimmy Buck acted as executive producer, and enlisted Bruce Faulconer to do the studio magic at Dallas’ Cake Mix Recording, where much of the album was cut (the remainder of the guitars and vocals were recorded at Hezoree Sound Studios in Kyle, Texas).

As far as their line-up goes, for this project Tee played the guitar and was in charge of the lead vocals, Jack was bassman, Chris played lead guitar and all manner of stringed instruments, Jimmy played the guitar, and Andy was stuck behind the drum kit. Jack, Chris, and Jimmy also added backing vocals. It should also be mentioned that their friend and ace in the hole, Chuck Ward (Bellamy Brothers, and a whole lot more), took care of the keyboard parts. It is good to have friends in high places!

Their half-hour set kicks off with “Texas Raindrops” with a Johnny Cash intro and bass that is slightly fatter than what you would have heard back in the day. Fitch has a pleasant tenor voice, and the catchy chorus features vocal harmonies that are destined to get stuck in your head. Barham throws down a tidy guitar solo with deft finger work, but he does not go overboard. And that is sort of the theme of this album: it is all about the songs so there are no epic solos or musical breaks for the listener to deal with.

This is followed up by one of the standout tracks from coWpilot, “Go Big Train.” Musically, this song is more complex, with layers of acoustics guitars, banjo and pedal steel. Though it starts out as a mid-tempo country ballad with lovely melodies, the chorus is more aggressive and the transitions pique the listener’s interest. This is a fun contrast to the next track, “White Trash Girls,” an up-tempo rhythm and blues love story (sort of) with tasty keyboards provided by Mr. Ward.

“She’s Changed Her Mind Again” features piano from Chuck, and comes off as more of a plaintive modern country tune. This track highlights the backline of Williams and Alsup, who are perfectly in sync yet still squeeze a few tasty fills in here and there. The group also steps into pop-rock on “Happy Going Nowhere,” with vocal harmonies galore and more guitar layers than you can shake a stick at. This is track is also a standout thanks to Fitch’s crooning and his lyrics that are easy to relate to.

Before things end, coWpilot flirts with easy-going California country on “The Opposite of Here,” and country rock with “About Elektra,” which has a gloriously distorted guitar break. Then, before you know it, the set draws to a close with “Until Then,” an example of roadhouse country at its finest, complete with honky-tonk piano and pedal steel.

By the way, there is also a hidden track, but you are not going to hear about it from me. You will have to go find it for yourself…

coWpilot’s debut album is a strong effort, with well-written songs that are professionally played and recorded with care. This kind of Americana music has good legs, and hopefully the guys will make it back into the studio to record their sophomore effort soon. coWpilot will be released on May 7, 2015 and will be available for purchase through the usual digital outlets (iTunes, Pandora, Spotify, CD baby, Amazon, Shazam, etc.), and surely it will be possible to pick up a physical copy at one of their upcoming shows. According to the band, “an extensive tour of Texas is in the works,” so follow them on Facebook to keep up to date on their activities!

George Taylor – Rain or Shine | Album Review

After experiencing wave after wave of mushy pop music that came out of the same mold, it is refreshing to hear a complete album of Americana that is full of great stories and distinct music. That is exactly what George Taylor delivers with his sophomore disc, Rain or Shine.

George is a Virginian blues musician that took a three year trip to Austin Texas and a tour through the Mississippi River Delta to discover his own blues sound, and it turns out that there is a lot of country music in him that is looking for a way to get out. The ten original tracks (all written by Taylor) are definitely blues based, but his rock, roots and country influences give these songs a vibe that is all his own.

Taylor recorded this album at Shine Music in Austin, and he took on the vocals, harmonica, and much of the guitar work. He was joined by Blake Lange on drums, Cody Ground behind the keyboards, and Jerry Reynolds on fiddle. Justin Douglas co-produced this project with George, and handled the engineering, mixing and mastering chores, as well as playing the bass, lap steel and dobro, and laying down the backing vocals. He is a busy guy!

Rain or Shine kicks off with “Goodnight” and the fiddle and harmonica combine with his tenor twang and spoken word interludes to give it a fun acoustic country feel. This song sets the listeners’ expectations high as the lyrics are very well crafted, and Taylor keeps up this standard for the next nine tracks with some excellent songs of love, loss and hitting the road.

”What am I Gonna Say” is George’s take on a murder ballad, this time with the theme of a weekend fling in Mexico gone horribly wrong -- hopefully this is not a true story. This is the most raw track on the album, with just Taylor, his acoustic guitar and gritty lyrics galore.

There are plenty of genres to be found here, including the jaunty electric piece, “Breakin’ in Boots,” which has a catchy chorus and almost enough fuzzy guitar to make any rocker happy. But the standout track from this set is “Only Blue” which has a unique Deltq/country/zydeco feel with just the right amount sweet pedal steel and raunchy harmonica lines.

All too soon, the album draws to a close with “Seat with Your Name,” a subtle ballad with sweet harmonica and tastefully restrained guitar picking. Cody Ground’s lovely piano work completes the picture as Taylor shares a bit of his personal faith: “I know a place we all need to go,
where there’s pearly gates and roads paved with gold,
and getting there’s easy and it frees you of shame.”

George Taylor’s Rain or Shine is a solid album of original American music with ten tracks that all deliver the goods. It is worth your time to give it a listen on his website at www.georgetaylormusic.com , and then do a quick search on Amazon, iTunes or CDbaby if you are interested in picking up a copy (vinyl available!) for yourself.

Thank you!

George Taylor – Rain or Shine

Self Release

www.georgetaylormusic.com

10 tracks / 41:16