Big Jack Johnson - Katrina - 2009.

Biography:

Contemporary Mississippi blues doesn't get any nastier than in Big Jack Johnson's capable hands. The ex-oil truck driver's axe cuts like a rusty machete, his rough-hewn vocals a siren call to Delta passion. But he's a surprisingly versatile songwriter; Daddy, When Is Mama Comin Home?, his ambitious 1990 set for Earwig, found him tackling issues as varied as AIDS, wife abuse, and Chinese blues musicians in front of slick, horn-leavened arrangements!

Big Jack Johnson was a chip off the old block musically. His dad was a local musician playing both blues and country ditties at local functions; by the time he was 13 years old, Johnson was sitting in on guitar with his dad's band. At age 18, Johnson was following B.B. King's electrified lead. His big break came when he sat in with bluesmen Frank Frost and Sam Carr at the Savoy Theatre in Clarksdale. The symmetry between the trio was such that they were seldom apart for the next 15 years, recording for Phillips International and Jewel with Frost, the bandleader.

Chicago blues aficionado Michael Frank was so mesmerized by the trio's intensity when he heard them playing in 1975 at Johnson's Mississippi bar, the Black Fox, that Frank Frost eventually formed Earwig just to capture their steamy repertoire. That album, Rockin' the Juke Joint Down, came out in 1979 (as by the Jelly Roll Kings) and marked Johnson's first recordings as a singer.

Johnson's subsequent 1987 album for Earwig, The Oil Man, still ranks as his most intense and moving, sporting a hair-raising rendition of "Catfish Blues." The '90s have been good to Big Jack Johnson. In addition to Daddy, When is Mama Comin Home?, he released a live record and two studio albums -- 1996's We Got to Stop This Killing and 1998's All the Way Back. He also appeared in the acclaimed film documentary Deep Blues and on its resulting soundtrack, returning in 2000 with Roots Stew.

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Roy Rogers - Split Decision - 2009.

Review

Blues man Roy Rogers released breakthrough recordings Slidewinder and Blues on the Range in his early days for the Blind Pig label, and returns to their stable of artists with his first studio date in seven years, his latest since 2004, and his twelfth album overall. Like any evolving artist, Rogers has taken into consideration diversifying his sound while not adopting the trendiness that has crept into more commercialized blues. It seems he's taken cues from the great Charlie Musselwhite in modernizing his music with voodoo economics, teaming up with the Delta Rhythm Kings, European contemporary keyboardist Philip Aaberg, and multi-faceted saxophonist George Brooks. The songwriting of Rogers is more observant than conciliatory, scolding and at times brow beating, putting shame to no-gooders while offering a helping hand and wise advice, but not a free pass. His slide guitar sports a finely honed edge, more attuned to overheated and sweat dripping environs than the cooler temperature of the Northern California bay area where this was recorded. Rogers does favor beats over surreality, as "Patron Saint of Pain" is straight out of the bag of Elmore James, a choogling blues similar to "Take Out Some Insurance." The shuffling "Requiem for a Heavyweight" features his "do anything for you" slide guitar, and the rockin' good time "Holy Ghost Man" is a liberated, epiphany blues buoyed by Aaberg's organ accents. In the Southern swamp boogie tradition, "Calm Before the Storm" is a blues of conceit and being taken for granted. the spookier, cerebral elements of Musselwhite come to play on the post-Hurricane Katrina storyboard song "Bitter Rain," and the slow "I Would Undo Anything" features the shimmering slide guitar of Rogers. There are three instrumentals as well; the short and heartfelt "Your Sweet Embrace" with new age guitarist Ottmar Liebert, the cool, jazzy funky strutting "Rite of Passage" featuring Brooks up front, and "Walkin' the Levee" with blues berimbau from Sam Rogers in a walkin' and stompin' framework. All of these original tunes were either completely written or co-written by Rogers, admirable considering the trend to cover classics of the masters, or tacking on overt commercialized rhythm & blues dance beats. He's clearly got his own style, difficult to retain while avoiding a sell-out in contemporary times. If you are still not hip to the value of Roy Rogers, get aboard the train via this fine, somewhat overdue effort that should reestablish his estimable street cred.

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Black Bone child - Alligator - 2009.

 Review

Smokin’ hot blues rock Texas-style! That’s the best description for Black Bone Child’s release Alligator. Hailing from Austin, the quartet known as Black Bone Child continues to impress. These guys do blues rock, blues rock, and more blues rock, so don’t expect anything but old school music with a modern twist. Alligator is a part of their latest release, a plugged-in album that is a companion to their all acoustic CD Take You Blind. Alligator is what the blues should be – simple, basic music with a great overall groove that will get you moving.
Black Bone Child plugged in and recorded Alligator as if they were playing a live show – as a result there is a great deal of natural warmth and liveliness to the music. There is no hint of electronic trickery or studio induced sterility, just the basics – a little raw at times but that suits the music pefectly. These guys play from the heart and obviously love doing it. Masterminded by Donny James and Kenneth M. (who teamed up to do all the songwriting, producing and engineering as well as playing lead guitar, bass and doing vocals), BBC’s “live” configuration is completed by rhythm guitarist Jason king and drummer Steve Hudson.
“Run Away” opens the disc in fine blues-rock style with a thick, heavy groove, fine guitar work and a chorus that will have you singing along before the song plays out the first time through. “Be Your Man” pounds at you with some solid drumming, killer vocals and biting guitars. “You Oughta Know” keeps the energy up, but this track is more of a vocal showpiece, giving the boys a chance to really stretch their vocal chords and grind one out. The infectious kicky groove of “Baby Baby” thickens the BBC sound with the additions of great blues harmonica and a smokin’ hot guitar solo (BBC did an all acoustic version of this track on Take You Blind, and that one seems to come across a little better as a pure acoustic). “Little Bird” is the blues and nothing but the blues – great vocals, rough and gritty guitars and a hooky rhythm line – perfectly engineered and executed. “True Love Too Late” is a great bouncy track with a great sing-along chorus that will have any old school rocker stomping his/her feet and clapping hands to the beat (this track is the epitome of dance-able rock without being the least bit “pop” or commercial).
“Turn It Up” is simply a lively celebration of music – almost has a Rolling Stones feel to it. “The Flames Are Warm” is another track that BBC also put on Take You Blind, but in this case the “plugged-in” version of the song seems to work better than the acoustic. Gritty guitars and great harmonica highlight this somewhat slower track, but the intensity is high throughout. “What I Know Ain’t Right” is mixed tempo rocker with strong vocals, while “This Disease” slows everything down, broods a bit and provides some of the slickest guitar work on the album. The CD finishes with “Devil’s Teeth,” a funky-grooved track with an amazing rhythm line and a solid solo.
On the whole, Alligator is a blues-rock dream. Thick guitars, smokey bar room sound, and foot-stomping grooves make this a joy to hear. The performances are top-notch and enthusiastic across the board, the songwriting is tight and the intensity is high, a real barn-burner.
Any fan of the blues or old school blues-rock will love this disc. Black Bone Child’s music is pure, simple and direct – just the way it is supposed to be. While this album may not have huge appeal beyond blues fans, there is no doubt that the members of BBC are talented and enthusiastic. When you consider that BBC also did their own production and engineering, the pairing of Alligator and Take You Blind provides a devastating one-two punch that these proves these guys to be truly up-and-coming.
The only downside of Alligator is that it ends way too soon…



Band:
Donny James (lead vocals, guitar)
Kenneth M (vocals, bass)
Steve Hudson (drums)
Jason King (guitar)


Track Listing:
1. Run Away
2. Be Your Man
3. You Oughta Know
4. Baby Baby
5. Little Bird
6. True Love Too Late
7. Turn It Up
8. The Flames Are Warm
9. What I Know Ain’t Right
10. This Disease
11. Devil’s Teeth


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mp3 256 kbps - 52 mb

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