Blues Blast Magazine Album Review: Chris Bergson Band – Live at Jazz Standard

Hello!

This CD review was originally published in the August 28, 2014 edition of Blues Blast Magazine. Be sure to check out the rest of the magazine at www.bluesblastmagazine.com

Chris Bergson Band – Live at Jazz Standard

Innsbruck Records

www.chrisbergson.com

www.innsbruckrecords.com

15 tracks / 62:45

It is not hard to find a great blues or rock guitarist, and tracking down a good singer and front man is a little harder, but they are out there. Songwriting clinics crank out more than enough new writers every week, and some of them can actually pen really nice tunes. But, finding a talented guitarist that is also an effective leader, singer, and songwriter is not an easy task, which makes Chris Bergson a true find!

Bergson is a New York City native who has lived in the tri-state area for his whole life, and who has been recording his music for the past 20 years. Chris’ playing has deep roots, and he is more than proficient in all genres of music, and he is even a faculty member of NYC’s 92Y (serving the community for 140 years), teaching jazz, rock and blues guitar. He has worked and played with the big names in the business, including B.B. King, Etta James, Norah Jones, The Band’s Levon Helm, and Howlin’ Wolf’s guitarist, Hubert Sumlin. He has recorded six studio albums, including the award-winning Fall Changes and Imitate the Sun.

This time around the Chris Bergson Band gives up a dose of their stage show with Live at Jazz Standard. This New York City club has been his home base for the past 10 years, and he drew these 15 tracks from two shows last summer. His usual four-piece group was up front, including Chris on vocals and guitars, Craig Dreyer on keys, Matt Clohesy on bass and Tony Leone behind the drum kit. They were joined on these gigs by the fine horn section of Ian Hendrickson-Smith and David Luther on sax, and Grammy winner Freddie Hendrix on trumpet. Roman Klun recorded and mixed this CD, and acted as co-producer with Bergson.

The first track on the disc is “Greyhound Station” and the band opens strong. Even though the club is called Jazz Standard and Chris was appointed the U.S. Jazz Ambassador by the Kennedy Center, this show is nothing but killer funky blues. After the guitar-heavy intro Bergson launches into the vocals and he belts them out convincingly with harmonies courtesy of Tony Leone. Chris also tears out a hard-hitting solo and lead licks throughout. This is one of the seven songs he co-wrote with his wife, Kate Ross – in fact this album was mostly written by Bergson, with eight all-new songs, and five older tunes that have been extensively remodeled.

After the horn-heavy “Mr. Jackson” (with horn arrangements by Jay Collins) the band is joined by special guest vocalist Ellis Hooks for “The Only One.” Hooks’ glorious voice pairs well with Bergson’s, and there is a Sam and Dave good times vibe at work here. The backline of Clohesy and Leone is spot-on but never goes over the top as this show is all about the songs, and the musicians are there to help tell the story, not to show off.

There is a touching moment as Chris puts Tennessee Williams’ poem “Heavenly Grass” to music. He plays a mean delta-style acoustic guitar against a sparse backdrop of bass, drums and just enough Wurlitzer of Craig Dreyer. This slow roller features extended solos from Bergson and Dreyer and is a nice partner to the next track, the soulful and inspirational “High Above the Morning.”

The two non-originals on Live at Jazz Standard are the harmony-heavy traditional “Corinna” and Ronnie Shannon’s “Baby, I Love You.” The latter is an instrumental that allows Bergson to spit out sharp lead licks on his guitar over the punctuation provided by the ultra tight horn section. The vocals leading up to this point were so compelling that the musicians were appropriately playing a supporting role, and it is nice to hear the band cut loose a little!

The heavy funk of “Christmas in Bethlehem, PA” makes sure that this is nothing like any holiday song you have heard before. Dreyer’s 1970s organ sound, Bergson’s processed guitar and Leone’s massive snare set the stage for Hendrix, who channels his inner Maynard Ferguson. The lyrics are full of hard luck and longing, and Chris sings them with all of his heart.

The final two cuts on the album are “The Bungler” and “Gowanus Heights,” both Bergson/Ross songs from his acclaimed breakthrough album from 2008, Fall Changes. Listening to these cuts is a reminder of what a well recorded, mixed and mastered album this is. The sound is clear, no instrument or voice seems too loud or soft, and there is a logical progression to the songs with natural sounding breaks in between. Kudos go out to Klun for his recording and mixing, and to Chris Gehringer for his mastering work – professionals like these guys make all the difference in the world.

Live at Jazz Standard is a fine piece of work from Chris Bergson, providing a realistic overview of his career to date, and it is much more relevant than any “Best Of” or “Greatest Hits” album could be. Most artists would be content to rehash old stuff, but the Chris Bergson Band stepped up and provided more than enough new material for their old fans to enjoy. For those who were not fans before, this disc will convert them into believers and it may convince them to seek out his catalogue and maybe even inspire them to catch a live show the next time they are in New York City!

Mahalo!

Blues Blast Magazine Album Review: Joe Caro and the Met Band – Live in New York City

Good day!

This CD review was originally published in the August 21, 2014 edition of Blues Blast Magazine. Be sure to check out the rest of the magazine at www.bluesblastmagazine.com

Joe Caro and the Met Band – Live in New York City | Album Review

www.joecaroandthemetband.com

Innsbruck Records

www.innsbruckrecords.com

10 tracks / 78:27

Even if you have never heard of Joe Caro, if you are a fan of most any genre of music there is a good chance that you have listened to his work before. He is one of New York City’s most in-demand session and touring guitarists, and he took up the instrument when he was eight after seeing the Beatles on TV. He is well versed in blues and jazz, but he has worked with huge pop and rock artists, with credits that include Crosby, Stills and Nash, The Eagles, Stanley Clarke, Bobby McFerrin, Bon Jovi and Clint Black.

But Caro is also an inspirational bandleader, having formed BFD with Late Night’s Will Lee and drummer Steve Ferrone and subsequently tearing up the New York club scene. This group made a name for itself by featuring storied guest artists such as Pat Metheny, Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald and the Brecker brothers. And more recently he fronted the Met Band who gigged every Tuesday at the Metropolitan Café over a period of eight years.

Joe Caro and the Met Band’s new release, Live in New York City, was recorded at Drom, which is the epicenter of music in the East Village. His line-up for this show was truly an all-star list of players that included Randy Brecker and Lew Soloff on trumpet, Anton Fig on drums, Blue Lou Marini on the sax, Clifford Carter behind the keyboards and Conrad Korsch on bass. Of course Caro played the guitar and handled the vocals, but he was also the co-producer of this project, along with Roman Klun who took on the recording, mixing and mastering chores.

This album has a wonderful blend of modern blues that makes for a pleasurable listening experience, and it is a joy to hear professional musicians who are at the top of their game. The often-covered “Labor of Love” by Tim Kaihatsu kicks off the set and these guys nail it. Joe’s voice is clear and strong, but this cut is not about the lyrics as each member gets the opportunity to show their chops. After hearing all of the solos it is apparent that this is a very well recorded show as the level is even for the voice and each instrument, and the overall sound is as clear as a bell. Klun did a fabulous job here!

Next up is a killer Denise LaSalle song from 1975, “Someone Else is Stepping In.” It is awesome that 40 years later her lyrics are so convincing that it is easy to picture her new way of wearing his hair now that she is a brand-new woman. Korsch holds down a fat bass foundation on this 10+ minute track with some help from Carter on the organ and Letterman’s Anton Fig on the drums. This one is considerably more complicated than the usual 12-bar blues, and as things move on the listener is treated to an extended guitar solo from Caro as well a trumpet battle between Brecker and Soloff.

Caro penned five of the songs that the band played on this evening, and the first of these is “In the Name of God,” which holds up examples of the excuses that people make for the terrible things they do. This blues song has pop undertones, but also a heavy dose of jazz and the horn section is up to the complicated arrangements. This is followed up by another original: “Upper East Side Blues,” a song of modern worries that hits too close to home in these troubled times. It has a cool layout, as it is a fairly traditional five-minute slow blues song with a six-minute rumba/fusion instrumental interlude in the middle.

An unexpected entry on the set list is a beautiful instrumental version of Lennon and McCartney’s “Strawberry Fields” from the Beatle’s 1967 Magical Mystery Tour album. Caro takes the melody with his guitar, and uses effects to create different textures and feels. Though this is rock, Carter’s piano work lends it a jazz feel, and it all comes together well here. This ends up being the best cover tune of the bunch, which is a tough call because there are also fine versions of Ray Charles’ “Mary Ann” (complete with a sexy Latin beat and a lurid back story) and Willie Dixon’s “Seventh Son.”

One of the standout tracks on Live in New York City is another original, “Love Don’t Bother Me,” a funky rocker which is pretty much a drum solo with a song happening on top of it. The band stays tight throughout despite huge swings in tempo and dynamics, making this an exciting listening experience. But it is not fair to call out a favorite, because there is not a bad song on this disc.

After the final song ends (appropriately titled “Going Home”) it seems like a shame that 78 minutes have already passed and there is nothing else coming. It is undeniable that Live in New York City is an excellent album, and it captures the energy and refined talent that Joe Caro and the Met Band brings to the stage. It would be a fine addition to most anyone’s CD collection, but after a listen it will also make you want to track down one of their live shows. At this point it looks like you will have to go to New York City to see them, but their website says there are plans for a tour. Stay tuned!

Mahalo!

Review of The Lion King on Broadway

Greetings!

I might be one of the only people on the planet that has not seen The Lion King movie. I have seen The Lion King Jr. musical a bunch of times, as my son acted in it this past summer, so at least I am familiar with some of the material. Well, I finally got the see the full stage musical this past weekend at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway, and I walked away very impressed.

The Lion King musical is based on the 1994 film, which is one of the most successful in history with almost a billion dollars in box office sales. The movie featured five songs written by Tim Rice and Elton John, “Circle of Life,” “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” “Be Prepared,” Hakuna Matata,” and “Can you Feel the Love Tonight;” all of these carried over to the stage version. You probably know the story, but if not it is a typical hero’s journey of a young lion, Simba, who takes out on his own after the untimely death of his father, later to return and take his rightful place in the world. Fairly predictable, yet satisfying!

The musical version of The Lion King debuted in 1997, with a bunch more songs and a few twists to the original plot (or so I have been told, never having actually seen the movie). And it has never closed down – that is an 18-year run on Broadway, making it the third longest running show ever, and it has won 70 major theatre awards. There is also a touring version, and all told over 80 million people have seen this show. Wow!

Since 2006, The Lion King has been playing at the 1600-seat Minskoff Theatre at 1515 Broadway in Manhattan. It is a nice theatre with good acoustics and line of sight, though the first few rows are pretty far below stage level, so the folks in the “good” seats will miss parts of the action.

The production was really quite amazing, in every respect.

The cast was wonderful, which is not surprising as the biggest and best singers and dancers flock to New York with dream of being on Broadway, and this show got the cream of the crop. Young Simba (Jahi Diallo Winston) and Young Nala (K’Lynn Jackman) had amazing stage presence and really delivered the goods. Note that these roles are played by two sets of actors so they doe not have to play every show – that would be a lot to ask of a kid. Two of the side characters, Rafiki (Tshidi Manye) and Zazu (Jeffrey Kuhn) actually overshadowed the other leads were their outstanding performances. And lastly, Scar (Patrick R. Brown) was simply amazing. He reminded me a bit of Professor Snape, at times!

But the costumes, masks and puppetry stole the show for me. These elements combined together to provide realistic animal characteristics and movements. Major props go out to Julie Taymor and Michael Curry for their work in making this magic happen.

The sets were also first-rate, with elements re-used creatively, and innovations used to show a flowing river and the famous rescue of Simba by Mufasa. The lighting was perfect, and there were no distractions from the crew.

The sound is the only area where I have any recommendations for improvement. Generally the volume was good, but adult Nala was hard to hear when she was singing. Also, there was a lot of reverb dialed into the mix for the solo singing parts, which is unusual for a musical, and distracting at times. It is a stage show, after all, not a record album and just because you have a tool does not mean you should be using it.

I wholeheartedly recommend seeing the Lion King on Broadway if you are ever in the tri-state area. If you like musical theatre, it really delivers the whole package and this production comes in a close second place to my favorite show ever, Wicked. Trust me!

Mahalo!

Blues Blast Magazine Album Review: Manhattan Blues Connection – Cadillac Blues

Good day!

This CD review was originally published in the January 16, 2014 edition of Blues Blast Magazine. Be sure to check out the rest of the magazine at www.bluesblastmagazine.com

Manhattan Blues Connection – Cadillac Blues

Self Release

11 tracks / 65:14

Manhattan Blues Connection out of Brooklyn is a relatively new band on the New York City scene, but do not think for a second that these guys are wet behind the ears, as all of the members are seasoned professionals with an uncanny feel for the blues. The band is led by its founder and drummer, Les Chalimon, and he is joined by Andy Story on vocals and guitar, Darius Reza on bass and Billy “Blue” Blend on keyboards and saxophone. Blend was also responsible for recording this disc at his Blendini Studios, and he mixed it alongside Reza, making this a truly home-brewed project.

Cadillac Blues is their first release, and after two original tracks that were written by Story and Reza, this quartet tears out nine traditional blues songs, all of them in a style that would make it easy to assume this album is a product of the south side of Chicago (though if you listen closely there is also a 1970s NYC influence in there too). It is guitar-heavy music with rich keyboards, smooth horns and a whiskey-voiced frontman that can hang with the best of them.

“Good Loving Woman” is the first track, and it definitely sticks with this theme. Andy Story wrote this one, and it perfectly suits his throaty voice and deft guitar licks. Billy Blend hammers the piano throughout, punctuating the mood with well-placed organ chords and riffs. “You Don’t Know” is the other original, this time penned by Darius Reza. This song has a catchy riff and, once again, Blend kept extra busy behind the mixing board adding multiple layers of sax and keyboards.

The cover tunes are a murderer’s row of blues classics, starting off with “The Things I Used to Do,” which was originally put into the limelight by Guitar Slim back in 1953. Manhattan Blues Connection’s take on it makes it one of the more laid-back versions of this song, with a decidedly smooth (almost jazz-like) vibe. It is fun to hear a more traditional version of this song after years of hearing the Hendrix and Stevie Ray renditions. The band also kicks out a funky version of “Black Cat Bone” that gives the Albert Collins/Robert Cray 1980s hit a good run for the money.

“Driving Wheel” is a straightforward 12-bar blues that highlights the rhythm section of Chalimon and Reza, which is possible due to the fine work that Blend did in recording and mixing Cadillac Blues. Sadly, the run time for this song is under three minutes, but you will not have to go far to find another good song, as there are no bad ones to be found on this disc. In fact, “Black Jack Game,” the next track up, features tasteful interplay between Blend’s honky-tonk piano and Story’s vocals and lead guitar noodling.

The three standout tracks are slow-burning blues songs: Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s “Strange Things Happening,” Jimmy Rogers’ “That’s Alright” and Jessie Mae Robinson’s “Cold, Cold Feeling.” Andy Story’s guitar is the star of these tunes and the listener can hear that he is more than the usual axe-slinger – he has a natural style and a genuine feel for the blues. Of course, it does not hurt that he is accompanied by a first-rate backline with rock solid-drums and bass.

Manhattan Blues Connection’s Cadillac Blues provides over an hour of traditional good-times Chicago blues, and the band’s respect for the history of the blues is evident in the collection of really cool songs that they put together for this project. They are gigging around NYC, so check them out if you are in town, and in the meantime we can only hope that they are back in the studio writing some new music as a follow-up to this solid debut!

Mahalo!

Low Society – You Can’t Keep a Good Woman Down |Album Review

Low Society – You Can’t Keep a Good Woman Down

Icehouse Records

www.screaminblues.com

www.icehouserecords.com

12 tracks / 56:20

You can find blues in any flavor you like: Delta, Chicago style, Memphis style, jazz-influenced, blues-rock, and stuff that just defies categorization. Low Society provides the latter, pushing the limits of blues with their own high-energy rocking sound.

Low Society is fronted by the formidable Mandy Lemons who is from Houston, but made her way through New York City to finally end up in the rock and roll capital of the world: Memphis, Tennessee. The other major part of this band’s equation is Sturgis Nikides, a guitarist who was originally inspired by seeing the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show. It sounds like he has not put his axe down since that day in 1964, as he is a masterful player in the blues-rock world, including his own brand of mind-bending slide work.

These two got together in 2008 in the Big Apple and hit it off, writing and recording and playing the first of hundreds of gigs. Eventually they moved to Memphis, where they were able to learn another way to approach the blues from one its the masters, saxophonist Dr. Herman Green. Low Society released their very good debut album, High Time, in 2011 and they have not let up, including a performance at the 2014 International Blues Challenge.

You Can’t Keep a Good Woman Down is their sophomore album, and it is truly something to behold. Sturgis and Mandy laid down a dozen tracks that include ten Nikedes/Lemons originals, and two cool covers. They were joined on this effort by a super-tight backline of Nick Dodson on bass and Mike Munn behind the drum kit. Rounding out the ensemble were Green on the sax, Rick Steff on the keys, Brian Hawkins and his blues harp, and Lee Booth with backing vocals. Nikides produced this project and the album was recorded at the venerable America Recording Studio in Memphis, with mixing done by Larry Nix (of Stax fame).

Their set kicks off with “Crammed & Jammed,” and it is obvious that this band has a good head of steam and they know there way around the hard-rocking blues block. Over the rock solid Memphis-supplied bass and drums, Nikedes slide work is vicious and Lemons’ voice is a glorious mixture of raw power and smooth phrasing, sort of like a combination of Big Mama Thornton and Shirley Bassey. I would love to use a Janis Joplin comparison, but that would be too easy!

This is followed up by the first cover, Koko Taylor’s “Voodoo Woman,” and Mandy does a bang-up job on one of her inspiration’s most iconic songs. Steff’s Hammond sets the appropriately spooky and dramatic mood, and the Dr. delivers a dump truck load of killer saxophone alongside Sturgis’ best Sonny Landreth-style playing. After these two high-intensity songs, things are dialed back a bit for “Need Yer Love.” This song is sexy as hell, and under the chanteuse is an offbeat rhythm filled in with accordion that lends a bit of Paris mixed with circus atmosphere.

The originals are all very well written, and the songwriters did not create a template to knock out ten songs that are all the same with only the words moved around. Each of their songs has a unique feel and construction so that things always stay sharp. “Son House Says” has a jazzy fusion feel to it, and the title track has a Southern rock vibe with honky-tonk piano. But the standout track is “This Heart of Mine,” which is a slow blues rock ballad that sounds like something Led Zeppelin would have recorded. Well, it would sound like that if they had a high-energy woman singing, a little background organ, and Robin Trower/Stevie Ray playing the guitar. Other than that, it is just like Led Zep…

But it was hard to pick out a favorite as all of the songs are very good – there is not a dud to be found, and they mix genres with furious abandon. Low Society sounds just as comfortable combining a hoe-down with a trip to a church for “Up in Your Grave,” or pulling out the resonator guitar and bringing in John Shaw on piano for the Memphis Minnie spiritual gem “Let Me Ride.” After almost an hour things draw to a close with “Should’ve Known Better” which brings some righteous Texas blues that is spiced up with a little sax from Dr, Green.

If you are a fan of blues or rock, you will like You Can’t Keep a Good Woman Down. Low Society hit the ball out of the park with this one, and it will be interesting to see where they go from here. So, pick up a copy of their album, and make sure you head over to their website to see if they have any gigs coming up. It will be worth your time!

Thank you!

Review of Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre in New York City

Hello!

If you love musical theatre, you have to see at least one show on Broadway before you die. No matter how good the local theatre company shows are that you have seen, nothing compares to how tight of a performance you will see in New York City. This is the place that actors, dancers and musicians aspire to perform, and when the roles are filled only the best are selected. Also, after a show had played for a few months (or years), there are no silly mistakes and the sound is completely dialed in. It makes for a complete audio and visual experience.

Whenever I travel to the Tri-State area, I always make a point to get into the city to see a show, and a few days ago I got to check out the legendary Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre on 51st Street in the Paramount Plaza building. This 1933-seat house is the biggest theatre on Broadway, and it is one of the newer ones, having opened in 1972. This means the seats are not as tiny, and it turned out to be a great place to see the show. The acoustics and lines of sight are excellent, which is to be expected if you are throwing down cash for one of the best shows in town.

Wicked (the Untold Story of the Witches of Oz) is based on Gregory Maguire’s novel of the same name. Grammy and Academy Award-winning lyricist and composer Stephen Schwartz found the book, and negotiated to have it made into a musical, as Universal owned the rights, and had planned to turn it into a film. Schwartz wrote the lyrics and music, and Emmy-Award winner Winnie Holzman wrote the book.

The original cast had Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel in the leads, and after tuning things up in San Francisco, the show opened at the Gershwin in 2003 and has been running ever since. That means over 4600 performances and close to $900 million at the box office. They planned to make the film version after the musical lost momentum, but they might need to rethink that. This show is a juggernaut!

The musical provides a different perspective of the more familiar Oz story, as this one comes from the point of view of Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) and Glinda the Good. It begins before Dorothy’s arrival, and continues on though bucket of water incident. There is a little bit of everything: a love story, sibling rivalry, the corruption of power, and a fall from grace. What more could you ask for?

I could not ask for anything more than I got that evening – the Broadway production of Wicked was the best stage show I have ever seen.

For starters, perfect actors were chosen for the leads. They did not have to rely on the age-old trick of getting a famous TV or movie actor to draw the crowds in, so they staffed the production with top-tier actors and dancers that can actually sing (sorry, Zach Braff). Caroline Bowman and Kara Lindsay earned the roles of Elphaba and Glinda, Kelli Barrett played Nessarose, Kathy Fitzgerald was Madame Morrible, Tom McGowan played the Wizard, and Matt Shingledecker took on the role of Fiyero.

The 22-member chorus kept busy with costume changes, playing the flying monkeys, students, palace guards and the good-natured citizen of Oz. Their dance routines were spot-on, and nothing they did detracted from the overall show, helped in part by the flawless and innovative choreography of James Lynn Abbott.

Costumes for the cast were designed by Susan Hilferty, and they capered about amongst gorgeous natural and steampunk industrial sets by Eugene Lee. The elements on the stage were innovative in the way they were introduced to the scenes and also in the way the cast interacted with them. There were also some pretty cool animated objects, but I will not ruin the surprises for you in case you have not seen the show. The visuals were rounded out by some neat projections by Elaine J. McCarthy and lighting that was designed by Kenneth Posner.

Aurally, Tony Meola’s sound was perfect, as the actors voices sounded natural and were at the right volume, and the 23-member orchestra under the direction of by Bryan Perri, was mixed with the vocals so that there were no distractions and everything was balanced.

That word sums this show up: “balanced.” Nothing stood out or detracted from the story. Everything element and feature was high-quality, but I did not walk away saying “Wow, the sound was good!” or “Boy, the costumes were neat!” I left the theatre thinking about what a wonderful experience I had, and not realizing that 2 hours and 45 minutes had passed (with the 15 minute intermission).

For once I have nothing to complain about, and have only praise for a show, which never happens.

It is worth the time and effort to check out Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre if you ever make it to New York City. I know touring versions are available from time-to-time (it is actually playing in Los Angeles right now), but seeing this show will make for a magical evening. I promise!

Mahalo!