Keith Stone – The Prodigal Returns | Album Review

Keith Stone – The Prodigal Returns

Self Release

www.keithstonemusic.com

11 tracks / 50:36

I am rarely disappointed when I get new music out of New Orleans, and Keith Stone’s debut solo album, The Prodigal Returns, is no exception – this stuff is dynamite! Stone is the real deal, born and raised in the Crescent City, where he learned his craft and cut his musical teeth. After a successful stint on guitar with Willie Lockett & the Blues Krewe, Keith and his wife Cindi left town in the mid-90s so he could get his life in order and he found a place in the world where he could use his musical gifts as a ministry to help others.

But Keith and his wife could not give up on his old hometown and after Hurricane Katrina tore the city apart in 2005, they did what they could to help out. That was not enough for them, and they ended up moving back to The Big Easy a few years later to start a non-profit that recruited thousands of volunteers and raised millions of dollars to aid in the much-needed recovery. It did not take very long for Stone to renew old acquaintances and work his way back into the local music scene, and many of these friends pitched in to help out on this album. For the core band Keith handles the vocals and guitars, producer David Hyde plays the bass, Nelson Blanchard is on the drum kit (as well as backing vocals and keys), backing vocals are provided by Elaine Foster, and Lacy Blackledge and Mike Broussard play the horns. That is not all, as you will find that there are a lot more friends that stopped by the studio.

The Prodigal Returns is bookended by a pair of tracks that are the essence of New Orleans. Credit for this goes to the inclusion of the legendary Dr. John on piano, Joe Krown on organ, Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes on accordion, Doug Belote on drums, and a horn section that includes Tim Stambaugh (sousaphone), Kevin Clark (trumpet), David Phy (trombone), and Cale Pellick (saxophone). The way that “Prelude” and “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” are presented makes them timeless, and the sound is just right with the snare, accordion, and piano perfectly set in the mix. In between these two tunes there is a well-rounded selection of songs in musical styles that represent a lot of what the town has to offer.

These other nine tracks are all originals, with Stone getting writing credit on all of them except for one that Hyde penned. These songs all show mature songwriting with catchy rhythms and lyrics that show that Keith is not afraid to get personal. They are all good, and here are a few of my favorites:

-- “First Love” is a smooth and dramatic blues song with a lot of space in the bass line and tight horns from Blackledge and Broussard. Blanchard shows a lot of versatility by filling in some tasty piano and organ work as Stone wails on the guitar and belts out the vocals.

-- “Cindi Leigh” is a sweet ode to Keith’s wife, and it has a cool New Orleans feel thanks to Sunpie’s accordion, and a little frottoir (washboard) and cowbell from guest artist Andy J. Forest. As an added bonus, Broussard nails a solo on his sax and Blanchard provides vocal harmonies as needed.

-- You cannot beat a cool and jazzy instrumental, and “Buster’s Place” delivers. Stone has a different guitar tone on every track and this is one of the tastiest ones that you will find on The Prodigal Returns. It mixes well with the horns, including a crazy good trumpet solo from Lacy Blackledge.

Keith Stone has crafted a wonderful tribute to New Orleans with The Prodigal Returns, and it is a slick journey through the many types of roots and blues music that can be found in his hometown. He has proven that he is a very good singer, songwriter, and guitarist, and he not letting any grass grow under his feet as he is already working on a new project with plans for touring later this year. But for now make sure you check out his new CD, as it is a winner!

Kern Pratt – Broken Chains | Album Review

Kern Pratt – Broken Chains

Gigtime Records

www.kernpratt.com

13 tracks / 44:42

Kern Pratt has got to be one of the hardest working singers and guitarists in the blues business right now. The Mississippi Delta native has a pretty heavy gig schedule within the Magnolia State, and he plays festivals like a madman, having hit most of the ones within driving distance, and he even plays at the Mississippi Picnic each year in Central Park. This is in addition to having a history of opening up for blues heroes such as Elvin Bishop, BB King, Dr. John, Bo Diddley, Johnny Winter, Delbert McClinton, Eddie Cotton, Bernard Jenkins, Dorothy Moore, Bobby Rush, and Bobby “Blue” Bland. Some of these folks are no longer with us, and what a great honor it must me to have shared the stage with them!

Broken Chains is Kern Pratt’s new album, and he wisely chose to fill the studio with first-rate talent to back him up. The core crew includes Denise Owen on some of the lead vocals, David Hyde on bass, Nelson Blanchard and drums and keys, and Sam Brady behind the Hammond B-3. There is also a killer horn section of Lacy Blackledge, Rob Henderson, Pete Verbots, and Chris Bellleau.

This 40 minute CD (or download, if you are an iTunes person) has twelve tracks with five Pratt-penned originals and some well chosen covers. The album is bookended by a pair of cool resonator guitar Delta-style instrumentals (“Delta Mourn’” and “Broken Chains”) courtesy of guest artist and roots music master, Wes Lee. These songs help to set the mood and remind the listener where Kern is coming from.

The originals are all good, but there are a couple of standouts that should be mentioned. “Greenville Mississippi Blues” checks all of the boxes with well-placed horns, special guest Eden Brent on the piano, and some excellent slide guitar work as Pratt howls out the vocals. And “Cotton Pickin’” is a upbeat electric blues instrumental with tight integration of horns into the guitar leads. The only thing wrong with this song is that it should have been twice as long – three minutes is just not enough.

The covers are a cool bunch too, and reflect Kern’s love for all of the blues sub-genres, spanning more than half a century. The oldest of the bunch is the Mel London 1940 blues standard, “It Hurts Me Too,” which was covered by Elmore James and Junior Wells. This take on it is just vocals and acoustic guitar, with some tasty harp work courtesy of Luc Borms. Moving forward to 1969, there is “Soulshake,” which was originally recorded by Peggy Scott and Jo Jo Benson. Denise and Kern share the lead vocals on this one, which shares the bouncy feel of the original, but with the benefit of way better musicians and recording practices. But, the standout of the covers is Albert Collins’ “Lights are On, But Nobody’s Home” from his Grammy-nominated Cold Snap album (Alligator Records). Pratt tears the strings off his guitar and sings the lyrics with true feeling.

Kern Pratt did a great job with Broken Chains, and he should be proud of the work he and his friends did in the studio to bring each of the songs alive with their slick blend of blues, soul, and rock. So, head over to his website and give It a listen, and while you are at it check out his gig schedule. If you are anywhere around Mississippi before the end of the year you have to get out and see his live show!