New Page 1

Given some of the reviews are from 2005 CD's, only reflects that we sincerely intend to give all who have sent us CD's....their reviews! Sometimes we'll choose a CD that has weathered time and we will re introduce it to a new generation of blues lovers. Our Reviewers are professional writers. Tom Hartwell works as a reporter for the Vicksburg Post. Fred Camfield is a retired PhD for the Corp of Engineers & blues historian and writes music reviews for Amazon and other online magazines. Lauchlin Fields is also a staff writer for the Vicksburg Post and a long time blues aficionado.

Julie Black's debut, "Call me Angel for Blues," announces the warm
arrival of a promising talent, in strong, rich colors and a voice
that could leave a serious imprint on the heart. Not only blues
devotees need beware: Julie Black will charm lovers of jazz, R&B,
soul, and probably any other ears that wander into her range.
She dabbles in genres, and though young (also rather stunning,
judging by pictures in the liner notes — one would say she looks
about 25) her writing and composition on the 12 songs that comprise
this album demonstrate sophistication beyond her years. Her voice has
a classic vintage that pours easily over the rock-solid
instrumentation of her band, who manage set the right mood for every
style she samples. Black can whisper and she can wail, and can hold a
note as steady as, say, Aretha Franklin.
Black goes out on a limb with an album of originals, but it's a smart
move: her songwriting is exuberant and seductive, eschewing a 12-bar
format for standard-style tunes, and full of playful innuendo in
songs like jazzy "My Doggie Don't" and "Go & Get Her," the latter
channeling Lucinda Williams' indignant, slighted femininity. But it's
the way Black hits every note at its dead center, and the strong
texture of her voice, that make it so easy to fall under her spell.
The album's fine tableau belongs as much to Black's band, and to very
hip West Coast licks from guitarist Dave Eichenberger. Smart
engineering kept engaging, spot-on musicianship from being squandered
beneath the weight of her vocals, and the mix is a strong cocktail
right where you need it — something finer than the sum of its parts.
Julie Black, out of the Tampa Bay area, shows in this coming-out that
she's got the stuff to go the distance. For the widespread pleasure
of music lovers everywhere, we hope it's in the cards.___Tom Hartwell, The Lower Delta News & Reviews

BILLY GIBSON BAND
"Live At Rum Boogie Cafe"

Billy Gibson hides none of his talents on these tracks recorded live
in December, 2004. His harmonica rips and roars, and his band
featuring talented bassist James Jackson keeps right up through a
heavy blues set of standards and originals. We who heard it first on
CD evidently missed a wild night at the Rum Boogie. Gibson and the
boys are hot, and his harp blares over the fidelity with the smell
the spilled Bambu and cigarettes.
Which speaks plenty to the group's credentials as a house band that
can wail, but the high energy just doesn't translate to an
interesting recording, unfortunate given the level of skill
represented here. "Live at Rum Boogie..." is like watching a great
party through the window. You want a beer and a blonde to lean
towards and shout to over the band and the buzz of other clubgoers.
Gibson is one of several Memphis frontmen claiming the title Prince
of Beale Street," and beneath the 12-bar workmanship you can just
about hear Grizzly Girls ordering mojitos and Ole Miss students
trying to bum cigarettes on their winter break. This album could be
music therapy for someone homesick for that atmosphere. On the other
hand, it is just as likely to bring back the hangover of hazy
memories and ringing headaches that account for high casualty rates
among Beale Street's tourist element. Makes a quiet evening at home
with a stack of LPs (Glenn Campbell, whatever...) sound like a real
vacation. ___Tom Hartwell, The Lower Delta News & Reviews

And while Holt's take on some of Guy's biggest hits may not stand the test of time like the originals have, it's clear he owes much to Guy for his ability to make powerful statements with his instrument. As a singer, Holt lacks gravitas — at 41, he still sounds youthful, which can make certain broke-down reminiscences written by Guy and others sound ungenuine. But there's nothing counterfeit about the way Holt plays guitar, and it's evident that in his years alongside Buddy Guy, he kept his eyes and ears open. This man came to play, and plays authoritatively. Behind the guitar's distortion and volume is conviction, and it makes this premature album, and Scott Holt, worth listening to.___________________TOM HARTWELL, The Lower Delta News & Reviews

Ben played for about 30 years in Chicago before returning to Jackson. He now plays clubs in the Jackson/Vicksburg area, and has been making appearances atPig Willie’s in Vicksburg. The CD represents traditional blues music, with solo guitar and vocals by Ben. It is a good collection, available from the artist if you catch him at one of his gigs. You can find his Web page at http://www.benpayton.com_______________________________________ F. CAMFIELD

This is an older CD from about a dozen years ago, with a full group featuring King Edward on lead guitar and vocals and Nolan Struck on bass and vocals, with various instrumental backup (some good harp playing by Sergilo Senadiz, drums by Bruce Howard, bass by Ralph Simon). It is an excellent collection and includes 15 songs in the traditional blues style. You can catch King Edward playing at local clubs around the area, most recently at Pig Willie’s in Vicksburg. The CD is also available at Amazon.com__________________________________________ F. CAMFIELD

One can hardly put together a collection of reviews without including the Chess Box, a collection of 36 songs composed by Willie Dixon and played by Willie Dixon and a large number of other artists. Some were previously unreleased while others are the original recordings released by Chess Records or Checker Records. Some songs have more recently been included in modern collections by other artists using other arrangements. This set includes 6 songs performed by Willie Dixon (one as part of the Big Three), 7 by Muddy Waters, 8 by Howlin’ Wolf, 3 by Little Walter, 2 by Bo Diddley, 2 by Lowell Fusion, 2 by KoKo Taylor (including Wang Dang Doodle), and one each by Sonny Boy Williamson, Eddie Boyd, Willie Mabon, Jimmy Witherspoon, Otis Rush, and Little Milton. The boxed set includes a short biography or Willie Dixon, with photos of the main artists, and a listing of the songs including a list of the backup musicians for each song and an indication of the original release (from 1951 to 1968). The collection is a must for any blues fan. The boxed set is available from various sources including Amazon.__________________________ F. CAMFIELD

Dan Klarskov's "Blues at Dexter" (Clearwood Records, 2006) proves that the blues has a heart that beats across the world. This Danish artist takes elements of All-American blues and gives it new life with a style that is simple and honest. "The Blues Is a Feeling" is a song that gives incite into why Klarskov and his Danish contemporaries have taken the blues for their own. The riffs and smooth beats that back his 10-track live recording show that this bluesman indeed knows how to "feel" the blues. While his vocals lack the gut-wrenching emotion often heard in the blues, the clarity there make his sound more of a squeaky-clean approach to the genre. The almost big band sound even takes it beyond the blues. His lyrics and foot-tapping beats give off more of an early rock-n-roll feel in songs, such as "What Is Wrong With You" and "Whoo Wee." Tracks like "T Bone Shuffle," though, are unmistakably the blues in its most general form. Overall, the album is fun and could easily make any listener want to pack up and head to Denmark to be a part of a blues scene that takes a straightforward approach to America's music tradition.

http://www.klarskov.net/________________ LAUCHLIN FIELDS

THE BILLY GIBSON BAND "Southern Livin"

The Billy Gibson Band's "Southern Livin'" (Inside Sounds, 2006) does a good job showcasing Gibson's raw talent on harmonica, as well as his band's ability to ride the blues wave. "Mississippi" is a clear tribute to Gibson's roots and, while it's obvious Memphis is now home to this virtuoso, the song acts as a nice hats-off to his musical beginnings. Other songs, such as "Hip Hug Her," where Gibson breaks out his harp for some thrilling solos, give the listener a true sense of his ability. His vocals are strong in "Sex Appeal," a track that is sure to be a crowd pleaser. "I've Got a Thing for the Voodoo Woman" is another strong track for the singer. And his harmonica is right at home with the groove. The album, as a whole, shows that the Billy Gibson Band knows how to play the blues - Memphis style. More hard-edged harmonica solos wouldn't have hurt, though. www.billygibson.com/ _____________ LAUCHLIN FIELDS

PAUL OSCHER "Down In the Delta"

Paul Oscher's "Down In the Delta" (Blues Fidelity, 2005) is the blues at its finest. It's raw, original, stripped down and down right, well, bluesy. The album plays much like a "Best of" for all blues. His covers of Robert Lockwood's "Take a Little Walk" and W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues" are as pure and whole-hearted as his originals, such as "Blues and Trouble" and "I'm Goin' Away Baby." His take on the traditional tune, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" is refreshing. He shows his incomparable skills in the album's last track "Georgia," where he moves gently between harp and acoustic guitar. The album is superb, and the musician shines brightly throughout. http://www.pauloscher.com/ _______________ LAUCHLIN FIELDS

CHARLIE WOOD "Lucky"

Charlie Wood's "Lucky" (Inside Sounds, 2006) is a piano-heavy listening excursion through Memphis blues. It starts off with a fun, swingy tune, "Can't Teach That Stuff," which opens the door to what Wood is capable of doing, whether it's his vocals, guitar, keys or drums. As the album shows, this performer can do it all. "Lucky" is by far the album's strongest number, both vocally and musically. His cover of Mose Allison's "One of These Days" keeps the album's heart beating. And, his original, "Never Gonna Stop New Orleans" is a nice anthem for the music city after its devastation. Billy Gibson's harmonica in "Beale Street Blues" adds soul to an already powerful performance by Woods. This album is one to keep on stand-by for any dancing occasion.

http://cdbaby.com/cd/charliewoodmusic ________ LAUCHLIN FIELDS

Guy Davis' "Skunkmello" (Red House Records, 2006) is like an anthem to the blues, its history and the culture that surrounds it. His simple lyrics backed by blues licks, smooth harmonica and foot-tapping beats, send the listener on a ride through the blues, from its beginnings on the plantation straight to electric blues clubs of the big cities. His incorporation of the clawhammer banjo on jams, such as "Blackberry Ramble," "Shaky Pudding" and "Skunkmello's Dance of the Chickens" adds an element rarely seen in modern blues, and he does it superbly. It takes the listener to the front porch of a shack in the Delta, where the blues were born. Davis' style encapsulates all that came before him and drives him to a place where all the great bluesmen now dwell.

The entire album provides a lesson in the blues, one that calls on every young music listener to add it to their collections and enjoy the sounds and words Davis soulfully distributes. "Skunkmello" could easily be the soundtrack for a course on the blues culture. This album is original in its nature, but traditional blues every step of the way. ( http://www.guydavis.com/ )__ LAUCHLIN FIELDS

Cleveland Fats' "The Way Things Go" (Honeybee Entertainment, 2006) definitely takes traditional blues to a new level. His pairing with Robert Lockwood Jr. on tracks, such as "Long Gone" and "Blues Time" help put him in the front seat. The album kicks off with "get up and dance" tunes that showcase his bands' well-rounded professional musicianship. The sound, which suitably backs Fats' gruff voice, is the stuff that makes the blues the blues. He slows it down a bit in "Invisible Man" and "Blues Time," showcasing elements used by earlier blues icons, which helps keep to the tradition he and his veteran blues backers successfully pull off. Fats' vocals lose momentum on "You'll Love Again," but he picks it up again with "Dead or Alive," which gives off more of an appropriate raw, bluesy sound. ( http://www.clevelandfatsblues.com/ ) __LAUCHLIN FIELDS

Nelsen Adelard's "Unplugged" (Blue Track Records, 2006) is a refreshing take of some feel-good lyrics backed to simple beats and blues licks. Adelard just may need to record his jams with friends more often. He gently glides from hard-hitting songs like "Woman By My Side" and "She Moves Me/Standing Around Cryin'," which could easily be part of a juke joint set list to more '50s sock-hop songs, such as "Don't Stop Now" and Carl Butler and Joe Turner's "Shake Rattle & Roll/Honey Hush."