New Blues Review 11-26-24
By Jack Roy
Sugar Brown – Toronto Bound (Self Produced)
Bio – “Born in 1971 and raised in Bowling Green, Ohio, Sugar Brown was born as Ken Chester Kawashima to a Japanese father and Korean mother who both immigrated to the United States in the mid-1960s. Now a permanent resident of Toronto, Canada, Sugar Brown is a modern blues musician, singer and songwriter. His brand of dark, sweet, and inconsolable blues has caught the attention of the Canadian music scene, winning the Toronto Blues Society Talent Search and quickly receiving invitations to play at the Kitchener Blues Festival and the prestigious Mariposa Folk Festival. Sugar Brown’s blues originated while studying as a college student at the University of Chicago. By day, he studied history, political economy, and philosophy; by night he learned to play the blues from Chicago’s famed West Side blues raconteur and singer, Taildragger, as well as from blues legends such as Dave Myers and Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, the late drummer of Muddy Waters’ band. Sugar Brown’s blues were shaped by playing the small clubs and venues along the West Side of Chicago, where the sounds and memories of past blues greats like Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter, Jimmy Reed, and Magic Sam were still very much alive. Taildragger’s band, The La-Z Boys, played this style of blues every week at the 5105 Club and every weekend in the summer months at the now-defunct Delta Fish Market, originally a gas station that was renovated in into a fish market (with fish transported fresh from the Mississippi delta). There, in the parking lot, Sugar Brown played harmonica on a large, red-painted stage behind Taildragger and before delighted, dancing audiences of the West Side of Chicago. From the 1970s until the late 1990s, the Delta Fish Market hosted performances by the likes of Sunnyland Slim, Eddie Taylor, Taildragger, and even Lightnin’ Hopkins. For Sugar Brown, playing at the Fish Market was better than heaven on earth and it changed him and his thinking forever. Taildragger is responsible for giving Ken the stage name Sugar Brown in 1992, saying to him, “You ain’t black…..and you sure ain’t white….You’re Sugar Brown.” After a tragic incident between Taildragger and fellow west side guitarist, Boston Blackie, which landed Taildragger in prison for some years, Sugar Brown left Chicago to pursue a Ph.D. in modern Japanese history under the supervision of intellectual historian, Professor Harry D. Harootunian. He moved for several years to Tokyo to study Japanese language and history, but couldn’t stop playing and singing the blues. He studied during the day and played blues at night as a regular performer in one of Tokyo’s best known blues bars, Bright Brown. Since completing his Ph.D. in history from New York University in 2002, Sugar Brown has been living and working in Toronto. By day, he studies and teaches at school, now as Associate Professor of East Asian Studies at the University of Toronto. In Canada, Sugar Brown began recording his original blues songs in 2011, when he recorded Sugar Brown’s Sad Day in Montreal with his friend and fellow harmonica player and blues singer, Bharath Rajakumar. This album was followed by Poor Lazarus in 2015 and then It’s a Blues World in 2018. He is presently working on his fourth studio album, Toronto Bound. ”
Review – Sugar Brown is the real deal, unique voice, great harmonica player, excellent guitarist. All of the songs were written by Sugar with some old feel to the lyrics. Sugar is supported by a great band including Nichol Robertson on Guitar, Victor Bateman on Upright Bass, Lowell Whitty on Snare, Bass Drum and Cymbals, Derek Thorne on Djembe, Dun-Dun, Kegaenya, Kalabash and Bongo and Braden Sauders on Tubular Bells and Bass Drum. Some unique instrumentation that has really been put together in a cohesive way, lots of nice distortion on guitar and harp! Highlights from this album for me were “Sell, Steal or Die, “Grim Reaper” and “Call Mama” but I think my favorite is “Sixteen Shots″, very cool syncopated tune, listen here. I will give this a 10 on Blues Content and a 10 on Music Content.
Carly Harvey – Kamama (Do Good Records)
Bio – “Based out of Washington, DC, Carly Harvey combines Blues, Jazz, Soul, and Indigenous American styles to produce a unique sound. She is the originator of the “Native Scat”—an improvisational fusion of a traditional Jazz scat with Native vocals. In addition to performing as a solo act, Carly is an entertaining and dynamic band leader. According to DC Music Review, “Carly is grace, confidence, originality, and the right amount of sexy swagger all at once. She commands the stage with her voice and presence and draws you in intensely. Then she seems to end each song with an infectious smile of pure gratitude that beams so brightly into the audience. In July 2018, Carly was featured in Big City Blues Magazine as one of the youngest Blues artists to watch. She is also a three-time DC Blues Society Battle of the Bands Winner and was proclaimed DC’s Queen of the Blues in 2016 by Dr. Nick Johnson of WPFW Radio. In 2021, Carly was nominated 7 times and won the WAMMIE award for Best Blues Artist. Carly is an Eastern Band Tsalagi and Tuscarora descendant and it is her belief that Blues not only comes from the African American experience but is also directly influenced by Indigenous American Minor Pentatonic Melodies and Stomp Dance Songs. She occasionally offers master classes to educate people about the music that gives her so much pride in her Afro-Indigenous heritage.”
Review – Ok now, this young lady has a true instrument in her voice, can’t remember when I have heard better!! Although I am not super crazy about some of the musical merits of every song in this album, I have to admit that her flexibility in her vocal and musical choices are amazing. Her first song on this album, “Native Scat” is such a cool, short song of haunting instrumentation and vocal gymnastics that demonstrates Carly’s talents. Her band consists of Johathan Sloan on Guitar, Mike Echols, Patrick Thornton and Sean Harley on Bass, Derek Blessman and Leland Nakamura on Drums, Wes Lanich and Daniel Clarke on Keys just to name a few contributing to this album. Some of the highlights for me are “Misery”, “Take your Love” and “Kamama” but I think my favorite is “Mean Old Woman″, With Joe Louis Walker on Guitar!!, listen here. I will give this a 10 on Blues Content and a 10 on Music Content.
C W Ayon – Bounce Boogie & Bump (Self Produced)
Bio – “CW Ayon may call the Southwestern deserts of New Mexico home but his soul is deeply rooted in the Blues and grooves of the Mississippi Hill Country. With a rather simple kick/snare and tambourine setup he lays down solid beats while picking out some catchy hooks on anything from acoustic to resonator guitars. Sometimes dropping in a bit of harmonica for good measure. All the while building a sound and playing style that is deceptively larger than it seems. In 2010, he won a best blues award for his song “Seen My Baby” at the New Mexico Music Awards and another in 2013 for “End of My Rope.” Ayon’s influences are Junior Kimbrough, R.L. Burnside, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters and Robert Belfour, just to name a few.”
Review – I love this album, C.W. definitely has that Hill Country Blues feel and does an amazing job. Mostly know as a one man band, CW has been adding an upright bass player and drummer to his line up for some of the bigger gigs. Great voice, incredible timing, nice one chord tunes that really get the music rolling!! C.W. even plays harmonica sometimes as his Guitar flashes fire and his feet keep the earth moving. No real stand out song, all of them are a journey through the Hill Country of Mississippi but if I have to choose I think my favorite is “Wiggle & Shake″, just because it is a very hard beat to keep going on foot drums and guitar, listen here. I will give this a 10++ on Blues Content and a 10++ on Music Content.
Walk That Walk – Red Devil Lye (Self Produced)
Bio – “Walk That Walk is one of the premier bands on the Boston blues scene. Although an east-coast phenomenon, it’s midwestern roots are from the fertile sounds of Detroit and Chicago, where the electric blues was forged in the 1950’s. Walk That Walk, served as the New England touring band for two Rock’ n’Roll Hall of Fame inductees, Bo Diddley; and Johnnie Johnson, pianist in Chuck Berry’s legendary combo. Walk That Walk also backed Chicago blues-harmonica ace Carey Bell. They honed their unique, toe-tapping sound by performing over 800 shows. Walk That Walk performed alongside Levon Helm, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Eric Burdon, Son Seals, and Big Jack Johnson.”
Review – A seriously well put together album, with some really great instrumentation including some banjo in there, great slide. Nothing hugely flashing in this band, just super solid old Blues Tunes. Band consists of Poppa DeSnyder on Guitars, Percussion and Vocals, Jimmy James on Backing Vocals and Guitar, Jon Reese on Bass, Stickman Waldron on Harmonica and Alan Waters on Drums with a few guest musicians through the album. Highlights include “On The Road Again”, “Hard Again” and “Put A Hump In Your Music” but I think my favorite is “The Daydream″, with some nice Banjo licks in there, listen here. I will give this a 10 on Blues Content and a 10 on Music Content, this was a little generous but it is the holiday season.
Richard Cagle & The voodoo Choir – Zia Blues (Montrose Records)
Bio – “You may not be familiar with Richard Cagle but quite a few folks in the Houston music community know the artists he’s worked with to help develop their career. Produced and recorded Carolyn Wonderland’s first and second album. Won Producer of the Year (Houston Press/KLOL Music Awards) for Carolyn’s 2nd album “Truckstop Favorites Vol. 2” While managing her, Carolyn signed with Warner Chappell, William Morris and was offered a major recording deal with Giant Records. Recorded dead horse’s “Demo90” that got them signed to their first record deal and managed them a few years later. Recorded Soilent Green’s (New Orleans) first and second albums that got them signed. Recorded Uncle John Tuner and Johnny Winter, Academy Black, Dirt, Hayflick Limit. Produced and recorded Joe “King” Carrasco, Simpleton, Lee Alexander, Carrie Ann and the Apocalyptics, L.L. Cooper, Voices of a Red God. Recorded and managed Dive, the Jinkies, Under the Sun, Rosebud, and Clay Farmer. Went into partnership with Skip Rudsenske and Greg Pitzer to open the “Artist Management Group” and”The Urban Art Bar”. Currently co-owner of “Montrose Records” and manages Pasadena Napalm Division, (made up from members of DRI and dead horse). Raised in Panhandle of Texas in the small town of Dumas. Started first band “Shades of Time” with Joe “King” Carrasco (Teusch) in the seventh grade. (FYI Tommy Shannon also came from Dumas.) Moved to Baytown in 1967 and join the “Nomads”. During high school and college knocked around with numerous bands and finally settled into “Big Family” with Heli Joe Martinez in the mid 70s playing regionally. Late 70s got married and started a family. The music dreams stopped but not the spirit. Started learning recording engineering in 1987 and opened Saturn Productions Studio in Baytown and a few years later, moved into Houston across the street from the Movie Studio (Houston Studios) in the warehouse district. Lost the studio in 1993 due to the building’s owner being foreclosed on, and started managing Carolyn”
Review – A super strong Blues/Rock album and band. Richard Cagle has a super strong Blues voice and really knows how to surround himself with some very special musicians. Seventeen separate musicians show up on this album, I won’t mention them all but Tim Martin and Paul Goad on Guitar and Dave Shanks and Shawn Allen on Keys really are the highlight of the band. Rock Blues, West Coast Blues are probably the strongest from this band. Some of my highlights of this album is “Wish I Was In Heaven” (RL Burnside Tune), “Dance, Dance, Dance” and “Downtown Groove” but I think my favorite is “Preaching Blues″, a Son House Tune, could not find it online. I will give this a 10 on Blues Content and a 10 on Music Content.
