Karen Lovely – Ten Miles of Bad Road | Album Review

Karen Lovely – Ten Miles of Bad Road

Kokako Records

www.karenlovely.com

13 tracks / 51:32

Portland, Oregon’s Karen Lovely really hit it out of the park with her 2010 sophomore album, Still the Rain. With a trip to the 2010 International Blues Challenge in Memphis (2nd place!), and three 2011 Blues Music Award nominations, she received a lot of well-deserved recognition. Karen has not been resting on these laurels, though, and her latest album, Ten Miles of Bad Road, is also amazing, earning her another BMA nomination, a Blues Blast Music Award nomination, and the 2015 Blues411 "Jimi" Award for Best Contemporary Blues Female Artist. This all makes perfect sense, as she is a tremendous talent who works hard and inspires those around her to do their best.

Ten Miles of Bad Road has everything going for it, as it was put together in Los Angeles by the best in the business, including producer Tony Braunagel and engineer Johnny Lee Schell. Both of these fellows are members of the legendary Phantom Blues Band, and they also provided the drum and guitar parts, respectively. Karen took care of the vocals, and she was joined by Jim Pugh on keys, James “Hutch” Hutchinson on bass, and the late Alan Mirikitani on guitar. Listeners will hear a lot of other A-list talent that helped out on many of the tracks, all of which are originals.

The album kicks off with “Low Road,” a smoky blues rocker that was penned by Mirikitani, featuring super clean leads from him on guitar and cool Hammond B3 from Pugh. Karen’s vocals are smooth and powerful as she describes her emotions after a lover cuts town in the dark of the dawn. Reviewers compare her vocal style to other artists, but she really has a sound of her own, and her voice blends well with backing singers Julie Delgado and Kenna Ramsey. This is followed up by “Company Graveyard,” another song that was written by Mirikani, but this time with a driving roadhouse beat courtesy of Braunagel and Hutchinson.

There are a lot of other neat songs in this set, and there is not enough room for me to write about all of them, but here are a few other highlights from the disc:

- The title track, “Ten Miles of Bad Road,” brings in the killer horn section of Joe Sublett (sax) and Les Lovitt (trumpet), and this uptempo piece is very accessible, making it radio-friendly. But it is not a sell-out pop song, rather a cool and detached narrative of a relationship that may not be worth the effort that is being put into it. Lovely shows a lot of depth here as she can sing pretty much anything that is put in front of her and make it her own.

- Karen has the perfect voice for ballads too, and a good example of this is “I Want to Love You,” which features solid piano leads from Pugh and more sweet backing vocals from Delgado and Ramsey. With a more sparse instrumentation and a slower pace, the tightness of the backline of Hutchinson and Braunagel is quite prominent.

- The album closes out with “Frank the Spank,” a boogie that sets the tone for the story of a bartender who is too generous with his pours; Lovely’s vocals smoky vocals really drive home the point on this one. This tune is upbeat and fun, and Schell’s guitar is a cool counterpoint to the harmonica of the surprise guest artist, Kim Wilson. What blues album would be complete without some sort of drinking song?

Karen Lovely has raised the bar with Ten Miles of Bad Road, a classy set of a thirteen quality tracks with not a clunker to be found. It is gratifying to see her talent and hard work pay off, and if you are a fan of contemporary blues I highly recommend you pick up a copy of your own -- this is Karen’s best work to date. Also, head on over to Lovely’s website to check out her tour schedule, as she has some gigs coming up around the US. Once you hear her you will not be disappointed!

Blues Blast Magazine Album Review: Sugar Ray and the Bluetones – Living Tear to Tear

Hello!

This CD review was originally published in the March 5, 2015 edition of Blues Blast Magazine. Be sure to check out the rest of the magazine at www.bluesblastmagazine.com

Sugar Ray and the Bluetones – Living Tear to Tear

Severn Records

www.sugarrayandthebluetones.com

www.severnrecords.com

12 tracks / 59:05

Sugar Ray and the Bluetones have been doling out their distinctive brand of blues from the Northeast for over 35 years, and they are playing stronger than ever as evidenced by their latest Severn Records release, Living Tear to Tear. Their sound is a fun blend of harmonica and piano heavy Chicago-influenced blues with some amazingly rocking guitar. The overall effect is timeless and this album could have been recorded fifty years ago, except that modern production values lend it a crystal-clear listening quality.

None of these guys have limited their careers to what they do with the Bluetones, however. The Grammy-nominated singer and harpman, Sugar Ray Norcia, did seven years with Rhode Island’s storied Roomful of Blues and has appeared on over 50 albums with artists as diverse as Ronnie Earl, Otis Grand, Ann Peebles, Jimmy Rogers, Pinetop Perkins, J. Geils, Sax Gordon and Duke Robillard. He is joined on this disc by Monster Mike Welch on guitar, Mudcat Ward on bass, Neil Garouvin on drums, and Grammy-nominee Anthony (no nickname) Geraci on the piano. These musicians have performed with Big Mama Thornton, Hubert Sumlin, John Hammond, Johnny Winter, Otis Grand, The Mannish Boys, Sugaray Rayford, and Debbie Davies, to name just a few.

Living Tear to Tear was recorded at Severn Studios in Annapolis, Maryland, and is an hour-long show of solid blues split up into 12 tracks. These are mostly original tunes penned by Norcia, Welch, Ward, and Geraci, as well as a few well-played covers. They kick off the set with one of the originals, “Rat Trap,” and right away their decades of experience shows as they proceed to tear the roof off the house. Sugar Ray’s harmonica tone and timing are perfect and it is apparent why he is a first-call harp player. His vocals are throaty and Welch’s guitar work is as clear as a bell.

The band slows things down for “Here We Go” and Monster Mike (nicknamed by Dan Ackroyd) adds a little reverb to the guitar while the rock solid backline of Ward and Garouvin (Groovin!) keeps the beat steady. Geraci cuts loose on the keys while Sugar Ray does a good horn substitute with his harmonica on “Things Could Be Worse,” which is a good reminder for all of us.

“Misery” is the longest tune on Tear to Tear, coming in at over eight minutes, and they picked a good song to cut loose on, as this slow-roller brings all of the finer elements of this quintet into play. The lyrics are indeed full of misery as Norcia promises to “…sit here and keep on drinkin’, till I drink my baby off my mind (you might have to cut me off this time).” Welch throws down his best solo of the album on this track, and that is saying something! This is the standout track of the release, with “I Dreamed Last Night” and its wonderful piano from Geraci taking a close second place.

The cover tunes are as well done as the originals. Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Ninety Nine” is a respectful take on the original and it is a delightful romp with subtle guitar work from Monster Mike behind a harmonica-heavy front end. And Lightnin’ Slim’s “Nothing but the Devil” (which was also done well by Rory Gallagher), closes out the set with distorted and growly vocals, bar room piano and the classic story of a man done wrong.

Sugar Ray and the Bluetones’ Living Tear to Tear is one of the best new albums of any genre that I have heard in the past year, with stellar performances from each of the five artists on the bill. It is a must-buy if you like classic harmonica-soaked Midwestern blues, so check it out and see for yourself -- you will not be disappointed!

Sari Schorr – A Force of Nature | Album Review

Sari Schorr – A Force of Nature

Manhaton Records

www.sarischorr.com

www.manhatonrecords.com

12 tracks / 57:00

Sari Schorr is an amazing blues singer from Brooklyn, and I am not the only one who thinks that she has tremendous potential. In fact, legendary producer Mike Vernon (Eric Clapton, David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac, John Mayall) put his retirement on hold to oversee the construction of her debut album, A Force of Nature. This is not an overnight success story as Sari has been working for years, touring the US and Europe with esteemed artists such as Joe Louis Walker and Popa Chubby, and she was recently inducted into the New York Blues Hall of Fame.

A Force of Nature was cut in Seville, Spain and London, England, and a cadre of top-shelf musicians were called on to back up Sari. The core band is made up of Innes Sibun and Quique Bonal on guitar, Jose Mena on drums, Nani Conde on bass, and Julian Maeso behind the keyboards. The list of guest artists is equally impressive, with contributions from Walter Trout and Oli Brown on guitar, as well as the keyboards of John Baggot, Jesús Lavilla, and Dave Keyes.

There are a dozen tracks on this album, and Sari collaborated on the writing of nine of them. First up is “Ain’t Got No Money,” a guitar-heavy blues rocker that kicks off with a slick intro from Sibun. He is a heck of a blues guitarist, but even that is overshadowed when Schorr starts to sing, as her voice is powerful with a more than respectable range and an abundance of emotion. This is backed up by “Aunt Hazel,” a rock song where Sari gets to cut loose and bemoan the results of substance abuse, accompanied by the rock-solid backline of Mena and Conde. This is one of my favorite original tracks from the album, as all of the parts fit together with precision without losing the feeling of spontaneity.

Walter Trout joined in with his guitar to help cover one of his own tunes, “Work No More.” Trout recommended this song, and it is a personal message for a friend he knew who had passed away. The respectful words are an honest eulogy for a wonderful woman, and Sari does a fabulous job of delivering them with emotion. Trout wails throughout this rocking track, with a little help from Baggott on the organ and Keyes on the piano.

The other two covers are really cool too! Schorr takes a legitimate run at Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter’s “Black Betty,” and delivers the goods. This track is not a fast-paced rocker like the Ram Jam or Spiderbait versions, instead starting with a bare-bones acoustic guitar accompaniment, which transforms into a powerful piece of grinding blues-rock featuring organ from John Baggott. The final cover is on the other end of the spectrum, and Sari’s soulful and bluesy interpretation of The Supreme’s 1965 Motown hit, “Stop! In the Name of Love” is like no other version you have ever heard. Rietta Austin does a lovely job with the backing vocals on this track – you can't do this song without harmonies!

As you would expect from Vernon, the production values are first-rate, and this is a very well recoded and mixed project. The balance of the instruments and vocals is perfect, and the songs are sequenced so that the listener does not ever become weary of the content. For once, I have no complaints at all!

A Force of Nature is a stellar debut from Sari Schorr, and she certainly has plans for the future. Tour dates are scheduled throughout the US and Europe, Mike Vernon has agreed to work on Schorr’s next two albums (maybe he is just semi-retired), and she is writing new material with Innes. With Sari’s talent and Mike’s experience, her future is bright indeed!

Smoky Greenwell – South Louisiana Blues | Album Review

Smoky Greenwell – South Louisiana Blues

Self Release

www.smokygreenwell.com

12 tracks / 51:00

Smoky Greenwell has certainly earned the distinction of being a fixture of the New Orleans Blues scene, and in his career he has played with War, Johnny Neel of the Allman Brothers, Warren Haynes, and many more, as well as fronting his own band. He has not been shy about recording his own work either, with eleven CDs in his catalog, with his the most recent releases being last year’s amazing Live at the Old U.S. Mint and his solid new release, South Louisiana Blues.

For South Louisiana Blues, Greenwell has collaborated with some of the best musicians that the Crescent City has to offer, including co-producer, songwriting collaborator and guitarist Jack Kolb, bassist David Hyde, and Doug Belote on the skins. Guest artists include none other than keyboard master Johnny Neel, Joe Krown (also on the keys), drummers Willie Pankar and Pete Bradish, and back-up singers Lynn Drury and Dana Abbott. Smoky brings the lead vocals, his harp and a tenor saxophone to the mix for this project.

This disc was cut by David Stocker at NOLAs Audiophile Recording Studios, and it includes a dozen tracks, with five songs that were written by Smoky and/or Jack. Many of the other tunes were written by folks with connections to the Deep South, which is where the album title came from. First up in the band’s set is an original boogie, “Animal Angels” with a cool 1960s groove and sinister vocals plus plenty of sweet harp from Greenwell. You can tell he has been playing the harp for four decades! This is followed up by a swamp rockish rendition of Wilbert Harrison’s classic “Let’s Work Together” with Johnny Neel behind the piano, heavily processed guitar from Kolb, and lovely backing vocals from Drury and Abbott.

Smoky must be a fan of Cornelius Greene, a native of the Sportsman’s Paradise who you may know better as Lonesome Sundown. There are three songs from this master of swamp music: “Lonesome Lonely Blues,” “I Had a Dream Last Night,” and “I’m Glad She’s Mine.” The latter is a slick bit of rhythm and blues with Smoky’s mellow vocals and sweet saxophone, a tight guitar solo from Kolb, along with the added bonus of thumping drums from Pete Bradish and a consistent 12-bar blues riff from Neel and Hyde. This is one of the standout tracks from the disc, in my opinion – it has it all! Other interesting covers include countrified versions of Wilie Dixon’s “Two Headed Woman” and Bob Dylan’s “Dirt Road Blues.”

There is also a passel of neat instrumentals to choose from, including Cal Valentine and Wally Cox’s “Boogie Twist,” featuring cool B3 from Neel, the funky “Pick It Up,” and Jack Kolb’s “The Hunch,” which has (not surprisingly) all kinds of cool guitar stuff going on and a raunchy harmonica solo from Greenwell. The last of these is the closer, “Walking with Mr. Lee” which allows Smoky to cut loose one last time on his sax to the accompaniment of clanking beer bottles and the reverie of bar patrons.

South Louisiana Blues is a really cool release from Smoky Greenwell and his friends, and it has a lot going for it. For starters, there are the pure talent and decades of experience that make Smoky the real deal, his band mates are all consummate professionals with great chemistry, and the disc is very well produce and recorded. It has a warm and full sound, and the material is enjoyable to listen to time and again. Check it out for yourself and make sure you head over to Smoky’s website to check out his calendar; it would be awesome to catch one of his Monday night blues jams the next time you are in New Orleans!

Isaiah B. Brunt – A Moment in Time | Album Review

Isaiah B. Brunt – A Moment in Time

Self Release

www.isaiahbbrunt.com

9 tracks / 39:39

Isaiah B. Brunt has an impressive amount of musical experience as a studio owner and sideman in Australia. He has worked with the Goo Goo Dolls, the Julio Iglesias Orchestra, and Randy Jackson, plus he toured with Keanu Reeve’s Dogstar when they opened up for Bon Jovi on their Australian tour. But at heart he is a bluesman, and an exceptional one too, as evidenced by last year’s killer release of Just the Way that it Goes and his trip to the International Blues Challenge.

Mr. Brunt has followed up this success with a new album, A Moment in Time, and it is his best work yet. This disc has nine tracks of originals that were written by Isaiah, and he served as the executive producer for this project in addition to taking care of the vocals and guitars. He was joined in the New Orleans studio by a core band of George Porter Jr. on bass, Doug Belote on drums, Mike Lemmler on keys, and a horn section of Jeffery T. Watkins and Ian E. Smith.

I do not hear much of an Australian accent to Brunt’s singing, but he has a wonderfully smooth and rich timbre to his voice, and the effect is quite unique. This is heard right from the start with “Still Waiting,” as Isaiah runs through a conventional 12-bars blues vocal construction. As with the rest of the album, there is a live feel to this mid-tempo tune, with Lemmler providing roadhouse piano and B3 over a fat bass line from Porter. A rowdy guitar solo from Brunt gives a touch of variety, as do a pair of trumpet and guitar solos. This segues into a piano-fueled rhythm and blues tune, “Singing the Blues,” which has lovely backing vocals from Sarah E. Burke.

Brunt can also dig deeper and belt out gritty vocals, and this is a cool contrast to his smoother work. One example of this is “May I Dance with You,” a nice bit of horn and organ driven funk. The backline is a more complex on this song, with Belote working the drum kit and Porter popping out the bass rhythms. This tune features a righteous solo break with interplay between Brunt’s guitar and Watkins’ sax, as well as a sweet horn outro. Isaiah also gets down on “Party Late All Night,” a more conventional 12-bar blues song. These are two of the standout tracks on the disc, and are both great party tunes.

There is also one track that is completely different than everything else on the album, as “Travel Back in Time” takes the listener all the way to New Orleans. This slowly grinder is held together by guest artists Tuba Steve on the sousaphone and James Evans on the clarinet, with snare from Belote keeping time. The horns join in halfway through to accompany a wicked solo from Evans, and the overall effect of this song will make you want to head off to Bourbon Street to forget your sorrows. Or maybe earn some new ones!

After about 40 minutes, the set closes out with “A Moment in Time,” an interesting blend of a mellow country bass beat, reverb-soaked guitar chords, and some jazzy flugelhorn from Smith. Brunt does well with the honest lyrics of remembrance and love, once again with Sarah filling in the backing vocals. After adding in David Stocker and his mellotron samples the overall effect is very pretty, and this ends up being a low-key way to bring things to an end.

Isaiah B. Brunt and his friends did an awesome job with A Moment in Time, and it is a solid follow-up to Just the Way that it Goes. Be sure to check out his website to keep up on his schedule – he only has gig dates scheduled in Australia at this time, but maybe the allure of the States (or another invite to the IBC) will draw him to our shores so we can enjoy his music in person!

The Lucky Losers – In Any Town | Album Review

The Lucky Losers – In Any Town

Dirty Cat Records

www.theluckylosers.com

www.dirtycatrecords.com

11 tracks / 52:43

Wow, I thought the Lucky Losers’ previous album, A Winning Hand, was really good, but their latest release In Any Town, is truly amazing stuff. The San Francisco-based duo of Cathy Lemons and Phil Berkowitz has really delivered the goods this time! There are a few pieces to this puzzle that make the overall picture so pretty, as you will soon see.

Cathy and Phil have been fronting the Lucky Losers since 2014, but they are no strangers to the music business as they both have successful solo careers. Prior to this collaboration, Cathy released a few of her own album through Vizztone, including the stellar Black Crow which is marked by genuinely emotional vocal performances. Phil has also made his mark with his voice and harmonica, honing his craft to cover Chicago blues, as well as west coast swing, rhythm and blues, and country blues.

The rest of the Lucky Losers includes the killer line-up of Marvin Greene on guitar, Chris Burns on the keys, Tim Wager on bass, and Robi Bean behind the drum kit. And the final pieces of the puzzle are a fine collection of guest musicians (more on this later), and production, recording, mixing and mastering by the legendary Kid Anderson at his Greaseland Studios in San Jose, California. How could you go wrong with all of this good stuff going on?

Well, you cannot go wrong, it turns out – this 52 minutes of killer blues, with nine of the eleven tracks consisting of original music that was written by Cathy or Phil. One of these originals kicks of the set, and “So High” is upbeat and big blues rock. This tune starts off with some sharp harp work from Berkowitz, and it has a decidedly live sound with jangly guitars from Greene and Anderson, natural sounding drums from Bean, and of course a touch of Hammond B3 from Burns. This is all great, but there is also the magical interplay and vocal harmonies from Cathy and Phil that really puts this song over the top.

I mentioned earlier that there are a few guest artists that appear on this disc, and here are a few more details:

- The horn section of Michael Peloquin (sax), Mike Rose (trumpet), and Mike Rinta (trombone) was brought in for a few songs, the originals “Don’t Let ‘Em See Ya Cry” and “Blind Man in the Dark.” The latter features Terry Hanck with a killer tenor sax solo, and in case you are not familiar with him, this award-winning musician was formerly with Elvin Bishop’s band and is a longtime friend and collaborator with Kid Anderson.

- There is also guitar work from west coast blues legend and fellow Bay Area denizen, Franck Goldwasser, and his fleet fingers brings a lot to the uptempo “I Can’t Change Ya.” His staccato chords are almost like a third voice that complements the vocals of Cathy and Phil, and he tears off a screaming solo that fits in perfectly. This is a fun tune that has earned a place in my ever-expanding party mix.

”Give Me a Sign” features Memphis’ Jeff Jensen on his guitar, and he gives his wah pedal a righteous workout on this one. This song is a perfect example of what Anderson can do in the studio, as this slow-grinding blue rocker has perfectly recorded guitar, harp, and organ as well as amazing drum tone. Cathy’s vocals are processed to give an even spookier vibe, and the overall effect is magical. This is one of my favorite tracks on the album.

There is not enough space in this review to cover every song, but you probably get the picture by now. The Lucky Losers with Cathy Lemons and Phil Berkowitz have definitely figured out how to write and present the blues, and In Any Town is proof of this. This disc is a must-buy, and if you are going to be around the Bay Area be sure to head to their website to check out their gig schedule!

Josh Garrett – Honey for My Queen | Album Review

Josh Garrett – Honey for My Queen

Self Release

www.joshgarrettmusic.com

10 tracks / 43:26

Josh Garrett hails from Louisiana, and his influences from the Sportsman’s State result in a cool blend of roots, blues, and generally soulful music. He took up the guitar when he was twelve, and right he away got into songwriting. The subsequent years of practice and hard work have resulted in a series of increasingly awesome projects and the Josh Garrett Band’s fourth album, Honey for My Queen, is the best of the bunch. This disc contains a fun set of listenable and unique original music that should appeal to fans of many genres.

For this project Josh did vocals and guitar work as well as writing and arranging all ten of the songs. A fine crew of drummers and bassists joined him in the studio, and you will also hear Waylon Thibodeaux on fiddle, C.R. Gruver on the keyboards, and Clay White on the harmonica. The set starts off with the title track, and “Honey for My Queen” has a mellow Southern rock feel with lovely barroom piano from Gruver, slightly distorted harmonica from White, and a tight backline. The lyrics are a witty ode from one worker bee to his queen, and they are delivered in a pleasant tenor tone. Here are a few other highlights from the CD:

- Special guest artist James Johnson appears on “Same Boat,” and you may remember him as the guitarist for Slim Harpo back in the 1960s. James took a break from music after Harpo passed on in 1970, but he came back in the 1990s, and he contributes his voice and guitar to this soulful rhythm and blues tune.

- You will find some sweet country blues with “Goodnight, Goodnight,” which has the instrumentation stripped back to just an acoustic guitar and the harmonica. This love song uses a classic 12-bar blues base with repeated phrases to get its point across, and the guitar uses both slick fingerstyle and a bit of slide to carry the melody.

- The band also included an uptempo instrumental, “Slide in ‘G’.” This tune has a funky drum beat with popping bass, and killer Hammond B3 courtesy of Gruver. The harp and guitar are used to carry the leads (with a cool organ break midway through), and this song acts as a neat interlude midway through the album.

- “Whole Bottle of Whine” is not just a clever song title, the lyrics are witty too as they beseech a loved one to ease up on the drinking. The music is a compelling combination of blues-funk and country, complete with a generous display of tricky chicken picking on the guitar, and a fun call and response with the guys in the band.

43 minutes goes by quickly, and before you know it the disc finishes up with “Moonshine & Cigarettes.” The band gives this song the full Crescent City treatment with jazzy drums and NOLA style piano and harp, which is a great homage to Josh’s home state. The Josh Garrett Band did a fine bit of work with Honey for My Queen, with well-written songs. Check it out for yourself and make sure you head over to their website to see if they are playing near you any time soon!